PILOT PROGRAM FOR UAS INSPECTIONS OF FAA INFRASTRUCTURE.

SEC. 911. [49 U.S.C. 44502 note] PILOT PROGRAM FOR UAS INSPECTIONS OF FAA INFRASTRUCTURE. (a) In General.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall initiate a pilot program to supplement inspection and oversight activities of the Department of Transportation with unmanned aircraft systems to increase employee safety, enhance data collection, increase the accuracy of inspections, reduce costs, and for other purposes the Secretary considers to be appropriate. (b) Ground-based Aviation Infrastructure.—In participating in the program under subsection (a), the Administrator shall evaluate the use of unmanned aircraft systems to inspect ground-based aviation infrastructure that may require visual inspection in hard-to-reach areas, including— (1) navigational aids; (2) air traffic control towers; (3) radar facilities; (4) communication facilities; and (5) other air traffic control facilities. (c) Coordination.—In carrying out subsection (b), the Administrator shall consult with the labor union certified under section 7111 of title 5, United States Code, to represent personnel responsible for the inspection of the ground-based aviation infrastructure. (d) Briefing.—Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter until the termination of the pilot program under this section, the Secretary shall provide to the appropriate committees of Congress a briefing on the status and results of the pilot program established under subsection (a), including— (1) cost savings; (2) a description of how unmanned aircraft systems were used to supplement existing inspection, data collection, or oversight activities of Department employees, including the number of operations and types of activities performed; (3) efficiency or safety improvements, if any, associated with the use of unmanned aircraft systems to supplement conventional inspection, data collection, or oversight activities; (4) the fleet of unmanned aircraft systems maintained by the Department for the program, or an overview of the services used as part of the pilot program; and (5) recommendations for improving the use or efficacy of unmanned aircraft systems to supplement the Department’s inspection, data collection, or oversight activities. (e) Sunset and Incorporation Into Standard Practice.— (1) Sunset.—The pilot program established under subsection (a) and the briefing requirement under subsection (d) shall terminate on the date that is 4 years after the date of enactment of this Act. (2) Incorporation into standard practice.—Upon termination of the pilot program under this section, the Secretary shall assess the results and determine whether to permanently incorporate the use of unmanned aircraft systems into the regular inspection, data collection, and oversight activities of the Department. (3) Report to congress.—Not later than 9 months after the termination of the pilot program under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the final results of the pilot program and the actions taken by the Administrator under paragraph (2).