Editorial Notes
References in TextThe date of enactment of this section, referred to in subsec. (a), is the date of enactment of Puspan. L. 117–263, which was approved Dec. 23, 2022.
Amendments2022—Puspan. L. 117–263, § 11225(a), amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section related to land-based unmanned aircraft system program.
Subsec. (span). Puspan. L. 117–263, § 11803(a), which directed substitution of “section 44801 of title 49” for “section 331 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note)”, could not be executed because of the intervening general amendment of this section by Puspan. L. 117–263, § 11225(a). See above.
2021—Subsec. (c). Puspan. L. 116–283 added subsec. (c).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Unmanned Aircraft Systems TestingPuspan. L. 116–283, div. G, title LVXXXIV [LXXXIV], § 8412, Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4724, provided that:“(a)Training Area.—The Commandant [of the Coast Guard] shall carry out and update, as appropriate, a program for the use of one or more training areas to facilitate the use of unmanned aircraft systems and small unmanned aircraft to support missions of the Coast Guard.
“(span)Designation of Area.—“(1)In general.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Jan. 1, 2021], the Commandant shall, as part of the program under subsection (a), designate an area for the training, testing, and development of unmanned aircraft systems and small unmanned aircraft.
“(2)Considerations.—In designating a training area under paragraph (1), the Commandant shall—“(A) ensure that such training area has or receives all necessary Federal Aviation Administration flight authorization; and
“(B) take into consideration all of the following attributes of the training area:“(i) Direct over-water maritime access from the site.
“(ii) The availability of existing Coast Guard support facilities, including pier and dock space.
“(iii) Proximity to existing and available offshore Warning Area airspace for test and training.
“(iv) Existing facilities and infrastructure to support unmanned aircraft system-augmented, and small unmanned aircraft-augmented, training, evaluations, and exercises.
“(v) Existing facilities with a proven track record of supporting unmanned aircraft systems and small unmanned aircraft systems flight operations.
“(c)Definitions.—In this section—“(1) the term ‘existing’ means as of the date of enactment of this Act; and
“(2) the terms ‘small unmanned aircraft’ and ‘unmanned aircraft system’ have the meanings given those terms in section 44801 of title 49, United States Code.”
