US Congress House Bill 4432 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: Introduced on February 2 2016 - 25% progression, died in committee
Action: 2016-09-30 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Space.
Pending: House Subcommittee on Space Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Commercial UAS Modernization Act This bill amends the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 to permit an individual to operate a small commercial unmanned aircraft without an airworthiness certificate within the United States until the effective date of a final rule based on the notice of proposed rulemaking "Operation and Certification of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems" issued on February 23, 2015, subject to the following requirements: the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must receive an attestation that the aircraft owner has liability insurance covering its operation; the owner must register the aircraft; the operator must pass an initial aeronautical knowledge test developed by the FAA and a proficiency test administered by a test site for such aircraft; the aircraft may be operated for commercial purposes only in daylight conditions, under visual line of sight rules, lower than 500 feet above ground level, and only after a preflight inspection; and the aircraft shall yield right of way to all other users of the National Airspace System. Such an aircraft may not be operated: (1) until the operator of a test site certifies that it meets the requirements in the rulemaking notice and can operate within such restrictions; (2) unless the operator has prior authorization from the air traffic control facility having jurisdiction over the Class B, Class C, or Class D airspace or within the lateral boundaries of the surface area of Class E airspace designated for an airport; and (3) by any individual with any physical or mental condition that would interfere with safe operation of the aircraft. The operator of a such an aircraft involved in an accident causing personal injury or property damage must report it to the FAA within two days. The FAA shall provide for a micro UAS classification of unmanned aircraft systems, the aircraft component of which may not weigh more than 4.4 pounds, including payload. The operation of such a micro shall be subject to specified restrictions. The bill directs the FAA to: appoint a Deputy Associate Administrator for Unmanned Aircraft who shall create a research and development plan for the safe integration of unmanned aircraft into the National Airspace System; establish a joint aircraft system research and development data collection and analysis program at the William J. Hughes Technical Center; and implement an air traffic management pilot program to research and test a new regulatory structure for operations of such aircraft in airspace below 1,200 feet.

Commercial UAS Modernization Act

Rep. Earl Blumenauer [D-OR]

Date	Chamber	Action
2016-09-30	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Space.
2016-02-03	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation.
2016-02-02	House	Referred to House Science, Space, and Technology
2016-02-02	House	Referred to House Transportation and Infrastructure
2016-02-02	House	Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2016-02-02	House	Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E98)
2016-02-02	House	Introduced in House

SB1314 (Related) 2016-03-10 - Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Hearings held.

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/4432/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/114/bills/hr4432/BILLS-114hr4432ih.pdf