II 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1388 

To authorize the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to 

enter into contracts to demonstrate or validate technology related to 

the integration of unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace 

system, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 1, 2023 

Mr. HOEVEN (for himself and Mr. WARNER) introduced the following bill; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 

Science, and Transportation 

A BILL 

To authorize the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to enter into contracts to demonstrate or 

validate technology related to the integration of unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace system, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘UAS Integration Re5 search Act of 2023’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. UAS INTEGRATION RESEARCH CONTRACTS. 

2 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall enter 

3 into contracts to demonstrate or validate technology re4 lated to the integration of unmanned aircraft systems into 

5 the national airspace system. 

6 (b) TOPICS OF INTEREST.—The Administrator shall 

7 identify topics of interest related to the integration of un8 manned aircraft systems into the national airspace includ9 ing, but not limited to, the following: 

10 (1) Detect and avoid capabilities. 

11 (2) Beyond visual line of sight operations. 

12 (3) Operation of multiple unmanned aircraft 

13 systems. 

14 (4) Unmanned aircraft systems traffic manage15 ment. 

16 (5) Command and control. 

17 (6) Safety standards for unmanned aircraft sys18 tems and associated element ground and air sys19 tems. 

20 (c) SOLICITATION.—The Administrator shall solicit 

21 proposals from applicants who— 

22 (1) describe a project that relates to a topic of 

23 interest described in subsection (b); 

24 (2) demonstrate technical merit; and 

25 (3) involve a contract with a test range. 


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1 (d) AWARDS.—The Administrator shall make con2 tract awards based on the following: 

3 (1) An evaluation of a proposal, including its— 

4 (A) relevance to a topic of interest de5 scribed in subsection (b); 

6 (B) degree of technical merit; and 

7 (C) cost and price information. 

8 (2) Availability of funds. 

9 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

10 authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, 

11 $12,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028. 

12 (f) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

13 (1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis14 trator’’ means the Administrator of the Federal 

15 Aviation Administration. 

16 (2) UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM.—The term 

17 ‘‘unmanned aircraft system’’ has the meaning given 

18 that term in section 44801(12) of title 49, United 

19 States Code. 

20 (3) TEST RANGE.—The term ‘‘test range’’ has 

21 the meaning given that term in section 44801(10) of 

22 title 49, United States Code. 


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•S 1388 IS

1 SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR UNMANNED AIR2 CRAFT TEST RANGES. 

3 Section 44803(h) of title 49, United States Code, is 

4 amended by striking ‘‘September 30, 2023’’ and inserting 

5 ‘‘September 30, 2028’’. 

Æ 


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