National Drone and Advanced Air Mobility Research and Development Act

Subjects: Transportation and Public Works


<html><body><pre>[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3560 Introduced in House (IH)]

&lt;DOC&gt;






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3560

   To provide for coordinated Federal efforts to accelerate civilian 
   unmanned aircraft systems and advanced air mobility research and 
development for economic and national security, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 22, 2023

  Mr. Lucas introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
  Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the 
  Committees on Oversight and Accountability, Homeland Security, and 
  Transportation and Infrastructure, 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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To provide for coordinated Federal efforts to accelerate civilian 
   unmanned aircraft systems and advanced air mobility research and 
development for economic and national security, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``National Drone and 
Advanced Air Mobility Research and Development Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
Sec. 4. Purposes.
                    TITLE I --INTERAGENCY ACTIVITIES

Sec. 101. Interagency working group.
Sec. 102. Strategic research plan.
Sec. 103. Counter-UAS research plan.
Sec. 104. National drone technology center.
Sec. 105. GAO study on foreign drones.
 TITLE II--NATIONAL DRONE AND ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY RESEARCH INSTITUTES

Sec. 201. National drone and advanced air mobility research institutes.
  TITLE III--NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY ACTIVITIES

Sec. 301. National Institute of Standards and Technology activities.
Sec. 302. National Institute of Standards and Technology manufacturing 
                            activities.
            TITLE IV--NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION ACTIVITIES

Sec. 401. National Science Foundation activities.
   TITLE V--NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION ACTIVITIES

Sec. 501. National Aeronautics and Space Administration activities.
Sec. 502. National student unmanned aircraft systems competition 
                            program.
               TITLE VI--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ACTIVITIES

Sec. 601. Department of Energy research program.
         TITLE VII--DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ACTIVITIES

Sec. 701. Department of Homeland Security activities.
 TITLE VIII--NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION ACTIVITIES

Sec. 801. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration research and 
                            development.
          TITLE IX--FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION ACTIVITIES

Sec. 901. Federal Aviation Administration research and development.
Sec. 902. University unmanned aircraft systems and advance air mobility 
                            centers.
Sec. 903. Allowance for the purposes of research and development.
Sec. 904. Authorization of appropriations.
                          TITLE X--LIMITATION

Sec. 1001. Limitation.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Unmanned aircraft systems have the potential to change 
        and transform sectors of the United States economy.
            (2) Advanced air mobility aims to transform the way people 
        and goods are transported through new capabilities and 
        applications.
            (3) Current uses and applications of unmanned aircraft 
        systems and advanced air mobility include agriculture, 
        transportation, law enforcement, public safety, disaster 
        evaluation and response, fire detection, border security, 
        weather forecasting, construction, utility monitoring, and many 
        other uses and applications.
            (3) Research, development, demonstration, testing, and 
        evaluation of counter-UAS systems and detection systems 
        activities are critical to fully understand the capabilities of 
        and threats posed by unmanned aircraft systems.
            (4) Unmanned aircraft systems and advanced air mobility 
        systems are subject to safety, privacy, cybersecurity, and 
        supply chain risks, particularly as most unmanned aircraft 
        systems in the United States are manufactured or assembled from 
        parts manufactured in foreign countries.
            (5) National and homeland security threats posed by 
        unmanned aircraft systems and advanced air mobility systems 
        include criminal and terrorist use for espionage, surveillance, 
        and intelligence gathering, smuggling drugs and contraband, and 
        platforms to deliver explosives or chemicals, biological, 
        radiological or nuclear weapons, and other firearms.
            (6) The Federal Government has an important role in 
        advancing research, development, voluntary consensus technical 
        standards, and education activities in advanced air mobility 
        and unmanned aircraft systems technologies through coordination 
        and collaboration between State, local, Federal, and Tribal 
        governments, academia, and the private sector.
            (7) There is a lack of voluntary consensus technical 
        standards for unmanned aircraft systems and advanced air 
        mobility for academia and the public and private sectors.
            (8) The United States needs to invest in domestic 
        manufacturing and secure supply chains of unmanned aircraft 
        systems and advanced air mobility systems to meet the demand by 
        the Government and the commercial sectors, to reduce reliance 
        on foreign-made systems.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Advanced air mobility.--The term ``advanced air 
        mobility'' means a transportation system that transports people 
        and property by air between two points in the United States 
        using aircraft with advanced technologies, including electric 
        aircraft or electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, in 
        both controlled and uncontrolled airspace.
            (2) Counter-UAS system.--The term ``counter-UAS system'' 
        has the meaning given such term in section 44801(5) of title 
        49, United States Code.
            (3) Institute.--The term ``Institute'' means a Drone and 
        Advanced Air Mobility Research Institute described in section 
        201(b).
            (4) Interagency working group.--The term ``Interagency 
        Working Group'' means the Advanced Air Mobility and Unmanned 
        Aircraft Systems Interagency Working Group of the National 
        Science and Technology Council.
            (5) National laboratory.--The term ``National Laboratory'' 
        has the meaning given such term in section 2 of the Energy 
        Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801).
            (6) Tribal government.--The term ``Tribal government'' has 
        the meaning given the term ``tribal government'' in section 421 
        of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 ( 2 U.S.C. 658).
            (7) Unmanned aircraft system.--The term ``unmanned aircraft 
        system'' has the meaning given such term in section 44801(12) 
        of title 49, United States Code.

SEC. 4. PURPOSES.

    The purpose of this Act is to ensure United States leadership in 
advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems, and maximize 
benefits and mitigate risks of such systems by--
            (1) supporting research, development, demonstration, 
        testing, and transition to operations of secure advanced air 
        mobility systems and unmanned aircraft systems, including 
        research and development to accelerate integration of such 
        systems into the National Airspace System;
            (2) improving the interagency planning and coordination of 
        Federal research and development of advanced air mobility and 
        unmanned aircraft systems and maximizing the effectiveness of 
        the Federal Government's advanced air mobility and next 
        generation unmanned aircraft systems research and development 
        programs;
            (3) promoting research and development collaboration among 
        the Federal Government, State, local, and Tribal governments, 
        National Laboratories, industry, and academic institutions;
            (4) promoting domestic manufacturing of unmanned aircraft 
        systems and mitigating supply chain risks;
            (5) supporting activities to mitigate risks to public 
        safety and national security and homeland security, including 
        through response to disasters;
            (6) preparing the present and future United States 
        workforce for the integration of advanced air mobility and 
        unmanned aircraft systems across sectors of the economy, 
        including through support for curriculum development and 
        research opportunities;
            (7) supporting research, development, demonstration, and 
        testing of civilian applications of unmanned aerial systems, 
        including improved safety and sustainability of ground 
        transportation, environmental monitoring, and disaster 
        response;
            (8) promoting research and development collaboration among 
        the Federal Government, State, local, and Tribal governments, 
        National Laboratories, industry, and academic institutions;
            (9) promoting the development of voluntary consensus 
        technical standards and best practices for advanced air 
        mobility and unmanned aircraft systems; and
            (5) applying lessons learned from unmanned aircraft systems 
        research, development, demonstration, and testing to advanced 
        air mobility systems.

                    TITLE I --INTERAGENCY ACTIVITIES

SEC. 101. INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP.

    (a) Designation.--
            (1) In general.--The National Science and Technology 
        Council shall establish an interagency working group on 
        advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems to 
        coordinate Federal research, development, deployment, testing, 
        and education activities to enable the advancement of advanced 
        air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems.
            (2) Membership.--The interagency working group shall be 
        comprised of senior representatives from the National 
        Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Department of 
        Transportation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration, the National Science Foundation, the National 
        Institute of Standards and Technology, and such other Federal 
        agencies as appropriate.
    (b) Duties.--The interagency working group shall--
            (1) develop a strategic research plan to guide Federal 
        research to enable advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft 
        systems and oversee implementation of the plan;
            (2) oversee the ongoing development of--
                    (A) an assessment of the current state of United 
                States competitiveness and leadership in advanced air 
                mobility and unmanned aircraft systems, including the 
                scope and scale of United States investments in 
                relevant research and development; and
                    (B) strategies to strengthen and secure the 
                domestic supply chain for advanced air mobility systems 
                and unmanned aircraft systems.
            (3) facilitate communication and outreach opportunities 
        with academia, industry, professional societies, the Federal 
        Government, State, local, and Tribal governments, and other 
        stakeholders;
            (4) facilitate partnerships to leverage knowledge and 
        resources from industry, the Federal Government, State, local, 
        and Tribal governments, National Laboratories, Unmanned 
        Aircraft Systems Test Sites, academic institutions, and others;
            (5) coordinate with the Advanced Air Mobility Working Group 
        and heads of other Federal departments and agencies to avoid 
        duplication of research and other activities to ensure the 
        activities carried out by the interagency working group are 
        complementary to those being undertaken by other interagency 
        efforts; and
            (6) coordinate with the National Security Council and other 
        authorized agency coordinating bodies on the assessment of 
        risks posed by the existing Federal unmanned aircraft systems 
        fleet and outlining potential steps to mitigate such risks.
    (c) Report to Congress.--
            (1) Initial report.--Not later than one year after the date 
        of the enactment of this Act, the interagency working group 
        shall transmit to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
        Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
        Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report 
        that--
                    (A) includes a summary of federally funded advanced 
                air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems research, 
                development, deployment, and testing activities, 
                including the budget for each of these activities; and
                    (B) describes the progress in developing the plan 
                required under section 102 of this Act.
            (2) Biennial report.--Not later than two years after the 
        delivery of the initial report under paragraph (1) and 
        biennially thereafter until December 31, 2033, the interagency 
        working group shall transmit to the Committee on Science, 
        Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the 
        Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
        Senate a report that includes--
                    (A) a summary of federally funded advanced air 
                mobility and unmanned aircraft systems research, 
                development, deployment, and testing activities, 
                including the budget for each of such activities; and
                    (B) an analysis of the progress made towards 
                achieving the goals and priorities for the interagency 
                research plan developed by the interagency working 
                group under sections 102 and 103.
            (3) Strategic research plan.--Not later than two years 
        after the date of the enactment of this Act, the interagency 
        working group shall transmit to the Committee on Science, 
        Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the 
        Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
        Senate the strategic research plan developed under section 102.

SEC. 102. STRATEGIC RESEARCH PLAN.

    (a) In General.--Not later than two years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the interagency working group shall develop and 
periodically update, as appropriate, a strategic plan for Federal 
research, development, deployment, and testing of advanced air mobility 
systems and unmanned aircraft systems. In developing the plan, the 
interagency working group shall consider and use information, reports, 
and studies on advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems that 
have identified research, development, deployment, and testing needed, 
and recommendations made by the National Academy of Sciences, 
Engineering, and Medicine in the review of the plan under subsection 
(c).
    (b) Contents of the Plan.--The plan shall--
            (1) determine and prioritize areas of advanced air mobility 
        and unmanned aircraft systems research, development, 
        demonstration, and testing requiring Federal Government 
        leadership and investment;
            (2) establish, for the 10-year period beginning in the year 
        the plan is submitted, the goals and priorities for Federal 
        research, development, deployment, and testing which will--
                    (A) support the development of advanced air 
                mobility technologies and the development of an 
                advanced air mobility research, innovation, and 
                manufacturing ecosystem;
                    (B) provide sustained, consistent, and coordinated 
                support for advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft 
                systems research, development, and demonstration, 
                including through grants, cooperative agreements, 
                testbeds, and testing facilities;
                    (C) apply lessons learned from unmanned aircraft 
                systems research, development, demonstration, and 
                testing to advanced air mobility systems;
                    (D) support the development of voluntary consensus 
                technical standards and best practices for the 
                development and use of advanced air mobility and 
                unmanned aircraft systems;
                    (E) support education and training activities at 
                all levels to prepare the United States workforce to 
                use and interact with advanced air mobility systems and 
                unmanned aircraft systems;
                    (F) support partnerships to leverage knowledge and 
                resources from industry, the Federal Government, State, 
                local, and Tribal governments, National Laboratories, 
                Unmanned Aircraft Systems Test Ranges, academic 
                institutions, and others to advance research 
                activities;
                    (G) leverage existing Federal investments; and
                    (H) promote hardware inoperability, open-source 
                systems, and standards-driven hardware;
            (3) support research and other activities on the impacts of 
        advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems on national 
        security, safety, economic, legal, workforce, and other 
        appropriate societal issues;
            (4) reduce barriers to transferring research findings, 
        capabilities, and new technologies related to advanced air 
        mobility and unmanned aircraft systems from the laboratory into 
        operation for the benefit of society and United States 
        competitiveness;
            (5) in consultation with the Council of Economic Advisers, 
        measure and track the contributions of unmanned aircraft 
        systems to United States economic growth and other societal 
        indicators;
            (6) identify relevant programs and make recommendations for 
        the coordination of relevant activities of the Federal agencies 
        and set forth the role of each Federal agency in implementing 
        the plan; and
            (7) consider and utilize, as appropriate, reports and 
        studies conducted by Federal agencies, the National Research 
        Council, or other entities.
    (c) National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine 
Review.--The interagency working group under section 101 shall enter 
into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, 
and Medicine to review the plan.
    (d) Public Participation.--In developing the plan, the interagency 
working group shall consult with representatives of academic, State, 
industry, local, Tribal, and other stakeholder groups. Not later than 
90 days before the plan, or any revision thereof, is submitted to 
Congress, the plan shall be published in the Federal Register for a 
public comment period of not fewer than 60 days.

SEC. 103. COUNTER-UAS RESEARCH PLAN.

    (a) In General.--Not later than two years after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the interagency working group shall develop and 
periodically update, as appropriate, a strategic plan for Federal 
research, development, evaluation, and testing of counter-UAS systems, 
as consistent with current counter-UAS systems legal authorities.
    (b) Contents of the Plan.--The plan shall--
            (1) determine and prioritize areas of counter-UAS systems 
        research, development, evaluation, and testing requiring 
        Federal Government leadership and investment;
            (2) establish, for the 10-year period beginning in the year 
        the plan is submitted, the goals and priorities for Federal 
        research, development, evaluation, and testing which will--
                    (A) support the development of counter-UAS 
                technologies and the development of a counter-UAS 
                systems research, innovation, and manufacturing 
                ecosystem;
                    (B) provide sustained, consistent, and coordinated 
                support for counter-UAS systems research, development, 
                and evaluation, including through grants, cooperative 
                agreements, testbeds, and testing facilities;
                    (C) support education and training activities to 
                prepare the United States workforce to use and interact 
                with counter-UAS systems;
                    (D) support partnerships to leverage knowledge and 
                resources from industry, the Federal Government, State, 
                local, and Tribal governments, National Laboratories, 
                Counter-UAS Test Ranges, academic institutions, and 
                others to advance research activities;
                    (E) leverage existing Federal investments; and
                    (F) promote hardware inoperability, open-source 
                systems, and standards-driven hardware;
            (3) support research and other activities on the impacts of 
        counter-UAS systems;
            (4) in consultation with the Council of Economic Advisers, 
        measure and track the contributions of counter-UAS systems to 
        United States economic growth and other societal indicators; 
        and
            (5) identify relevant programs and make recommendations for 
        the coordination of relevant activities of the Federal agencies 
        and set forth the role of each Federal agency in implementing 
        the plan.

SEC. 104. NATIONAL DRONE TECHNOLOGY CENTER.

    (a) Establishment.--Subject to the availability of appropriations 
for such purpose, the Secretary of Commerce, in collaboration with the 
Secretary of Defense, may establish a national drone technology center 
to conduct research and development of unmanned aircraft systems to 
strengthen the economic competitiveness and security of the domestic 
supply chain. Such center shall be operated as a public-private sector 
consortium with participation from the private sector and the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology.
    (b) Functions.--The functions of the center established under 
subsection (a) shall be to conduct research and development related to 
unmanned aircraft systems manufacturing, design and components, and 
prototyping that strengthens the entire domestic ecosystem and places 
emphasis on the following:
            (1) Unmanned aircraft systems advanced testing and assembly 
        capability in the domestic ecosystem.
            (2) Materials characterization, instrumentation and testing 
        for unmanned aircraft systems.
            (3) Virtualization and automation of maintenance of 
        unmanned aircraft systems machinery.
            (4) Metrology for security and supply chain verification.

SEC. 105. GAO STUDY ON FOREIGN DRONES.

    (a) Study.--The Comptroller General of the United States shall 
conduct a study on the use of foreign-made unmanned aircraft systems in 
the Federal Government unmanned aircraft fleet.
    (b) Elements.--The study under subsection (a) shall include an 
assessment of the following:
            (1) The size of the Federal unmanned aircraft fleet and the 
        extent to which any unmanned aircraft systems and components 
        have been procured from a covered foreign entity on the list 
        maintained in Supplement No. 4 to part 744 of title 15, Code of 
        Federal Regulations.
            (2) The operation of such systems across the Federal 
        Government.
            (3) Policies and practices governing the procurement of 
        unmanned aircraft systems from covered foreign entities.
            (4) The availability of unmanned aircraft systems from any 
        domestic sources for government use.
            (5) The risks associated with use of such systems by the 
        Federal Government, including relating to physical safety, 
        privacy, and cybersecurity.
    (c) GAO Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
shall report to Congress all findings and determinations made in 
carrying out the study under subsection (a).

 TITLE II--NATIONAL DRONE AND ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY RESEARCH INSTITUTES

SEC. 201. NATIONAL DRONE AND ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY RESEARCH INSTITUTES.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration shall establish a program to award financial 
assistance for the planning, establishment, and support of a network of 
Institutes (as described in subsection (b)(2)) in accordance with this 
section.
    (b) Financial Assistance To Establish and Support National Drone 
and Advanced Air Mobility Research Institutes.--
            (1) In general.--The Director of the National Institute of 
        Standards and Technology, the Director of the National Science 
        Foundation, the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and 
        Space Administration, and any other agency head may award 
        financial assistance to an eligible entity, or consortia 
        thereof, as determined by an agency head, to establish and 
        support an Institute.
            (2) Drone and advanced air mobility institutes.--An 
        Institute described in this subsection is an unmanned aircraft 
        systems research institute that--
                    (A) may focus on--
                            (i) a particular economic or social sector, 
                        including education, manufacturing, 
                        transportation, agriculture, security, energy, 
                        environment, and public safety, and includes a 
                        component that addresses the ethical, societal, 
                        safety, and security implications relevant to 
                        the application of advanced air mobility and 
                        unmanned aircraft systems in that sector; or
                            (ii) a cross-cutting challenge for 
                        research, development, testing, or use of 
                        advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft 
                        systems;
                    (B) requires partnership among public and private 
                organizations, including, as appropriate, Federal 
                agencies, academic institutions, nonprofit research 
                organizations, Federal laboratories, State, local, and 
                Tribal governments, industry, and others (or consortia 
                thereof);
                    (C) has the potential to create an innovation 
                ecosystem, or enhance existing ecosystems, to translate 
                Institute research into applications and products, as 
                appropriate to the topic of each Institute;
                    (D) supports and coordinates interdisciplinary 
                research and development across multiple institutions 
                and organizations involved in unmanned aircraft systems 
                research and related disciplines, which may include 
                physics, engineering, mathematical sciences, computer 
                and information science, robotics, material science, 
                cybersecurity, and technology ethics;
                    (E) supports interdisciplinary education activities 
                at all levels, including curriculum development, 
                research experiences, and faculty professional 
                development across two-year, undergraduates, masters, 
                and doctoral level programs;
                    (F) establishes a robust data management strategy 
                that ensures digital access and machine-readability; 
                that promotes findability, interoperability, analysis- 
                and decision-readiness and reusability; and ensures 
                applicable scientific data are managed for wide use by 
                the Federal Government, State, local, and Tribal 
                governments, academia, and the public;
                    (G) applies lessons learned from unmanned aircraft 
                systems research, development, demonstration, and 
                testing to advanced air mobility systems; and
                    (H) supports workforce development in advanced air 
                mobility and unmanned aircraft systems related 
                disciplines in the United States, including broadening 
                participation of underrepresented communities.
            (3) Use of funds.--Financial assistance awarded under 
        paragraph (1) may be used by an Institute for--
                    (A) managing and making available to researchers 
                accessible, curated, standardized, secure, and privacy 
                protected data sets from the public and private sectors 
                for the purposes of training and testing advanced air 
                mobility systems and unmanned aircraft systems, and for 
                research and development using advanced air mobility 
                systems and unmanned aircraft systems;
                    (B) developing and managing testbeds, Unmanned 
                Aircraft Systems Test Ranges, for advanced air mobility 
                or unmanned aircraft systems, including sector-specific 
                test beds, designed to enable users to evaluate 
                advanced air mobility systems and unmanned aircraft 
                systems prior to deployment;
                    (C) conducting research and education activities 
                involving advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft 
                systems to solve challenges with economic, scientific, 
                and national security implications;
                    (D) conducting research and development on advanced 
                air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems platform 
                development and innovation;
                    (E) providing or brokering access to computing 
                resources, networking, and data facilities for advanced 
                air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems research and 
                development relevant to the Institute's research goals;
                    (F) providing technical assistance to users, 
                including software engineering support, for advanced 
                air mobility systems and unmanned aircraft systems 
                research and development relevant to the Institute's 
                research goals;
                    (G) supporting the purchase of advanced air 
                mobility and unmanned aircraft systems software;
                    (H) engaging in outreach and engagement to broaden 
                participation in advanced air mobility and unmanned 
                aircraft systems research, development and workforce;
                    (I) supporting artificial intelligence and machine 
                learning research related to advanced air mobility and 
                unmanned aircraft systems; and
                    (J) such other activities that an agency head whose 
                agency's missions contribute to or are affected by 
                advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems 
                determines is appropriate to fulfill the agency's 
                missions.
            (4) Duration.--
                    (A) Initial periods.--An award of financial 
                assistance under paragraph (1) shall be for an initial 
                period of up to five years, subject to Office of 
                Management and Budget uniform guidance for Federal 
                assistance.
                    (B) Extension.--An established Institute may apply 
                for, and the agency head may grant, extended funding 
                for periods of up to five years on a merit-reviewed 
                basis using the merit review criteria of the sponsoring 
                agency, subject to Office of Management and Budget 
                uniform guidance for Federal assistance.
            (5) Application for financial assistance.--
                    (A) In general.--An entity seeking financial 
                assistance under paragraph (1) shall submit to an 
                agency head an application at such time, in such 
                manner, and containing such information as the agency 
                head may require.
                    (B) Requirements.--An application submitted under 
                subparagraph (A) for an Institute shall, at a minimum, 
                include the following:
                            (i) A plan for the Institute, including--
                                    (I) the proposed goals and 
                                activities of the Institute;
                                    (II) a description of how the 
                                Institute will form partnerships with 
                                other research institutions, industry, 
                                nonprofits, academic institutions, and 
                                others to leverage expertise in 
                                advanced air mobility and unmanned 
                                aircraft systems and access to data;
                                    (III) a description of how the 
                                institute will support long-term and 
                                short-term education and workforce 
                                development in advanced air mobility 
                                and unmanned aircraft systems, 
                                including broadening participation of 
                                underrepresented communities; and
                                    (IV) a description of how the 
                                Institute will transition from planning 
                                into operations.
                            (ii) A description of the anticipated 
                        sources and nature of any non-Federal 
                        contributions or other Federal agency funding.
                            (iii) A data management plan that addresses 
                        the collection, use, retention, protection, 
                        dissemination, and management of data 
                        collected, consistent with the purposes of this 
                        Act.
                            (iv) A description of the anticipated long-
                        term impact of such Institute.
            (6) Competitive merit review.--In awarding financial 
        assistance under paragraph (1), the agency shall--
                    (A) use a competitive merit review process that 
                includes peer review by a diverse group of individuals 
                with relevant expertise from both the private and 
                public sectors; and
                    (B) ensure the focus areas of the Institute do not 
                substantially duplicate the efforts of any other 
                Institute.
            (7) Collaboration.--
                    (A) In general.--In awarding financial assistance 
                under paragraph (1), an agency head may collaborate 
                with Federal departments and agencies the missions of 
                which contribute to or are affected by advanced air 
                mobility and unmanned aircraft systems.
                    (B) Nonduplication.--In carrying out the program 
                under this section, the Administrator of the National 
                Aeronautics and Space Administration shall coordinate 
                with the heads of other Federal departments and 
                agencies to avoid duplication of research and other 
                activities to ensure that the activities carried out by 
                Institutes are complementary to those being undertaken 
                by other agencies.
                    (C) Coordinating network.--The Administrator of the 
                National Aeronautics and Space Administration shall 
                establish a network of Institutes receiving financial 
                assistance under this subsection, to be known as the 
                ``Drone Leadership Network'', to coordinate cross-
                cutting research and other activities carried out by 
                the Institutes.
                    (D) Funding.--The head of an agency may request, 
                accept, and provide funds from other Federal 
                departments and agencies, State, United States 
                territory, local, or Tribal government agencies, 
                private sector for-profit entities, and nonprofit 
                entities, to be available to the extent provided by 
                appropriations Acts, to support an Institute's 
                activities. The head of an agency may not give any 
                special consideration to any agency or entity in return 
                for a donation.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
$5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028 to carry out the 
activities authorized in section 201(a).

  TITLE III--NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY ACTIVITIES

SEC. 301. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY ACTIVITIES.

    (a) In General.--The Director of the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology shall--
            (1) support measurement research and development of best 
        practices and voluntary consensus technical standards for 
        advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems, including 
        for--
                    (A) privacy, security, and cybersecurity of 
                advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems;
                    (B) safety and operational performance of advanced 
                air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems;
                    (C) hardware and components designed for advanced 
                air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems;
                    (D) data management and techniques to increase the 
                usability of data for advanced air mobility and 
                unmanned aircraft systems;
                    (E) supply chain risks for advanced air mobility 
                and unmanned aircraft systems; and
                    (F) all other areas deemed by the Director to be 
                critical to the development and deployment of advanced 
                air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems;
            (2) support one or more Institutes as described in section 
        201(a) of this Act for the purpose of advancing advanced air 
        mobility and unmanned aircraft systems;
            (3) produce curated, standardized, representative, secure, 
        and privacy-protected data sets for advanced air mobility and 
        unmanned aircraft systems research, development, and use, 
        prioritizing data for high-value, high-risk research;
            (4) support and strategically engage in the development of 
        voluntary consensus technical standards, including 
        international standards, through open, transparent, and 
        consensus-based processes;
            (5) enter into and perform such contracts, including 
        cooperative research and development arrangements and grants 
        and cooperative agreements or other transactions, as may be 
        necessary in the conduct of the work of the National Institute 
        of Standards and Technology and on such terms as the Director 
        considers appropriate, in furtherance of the purposes of this 
        Act;
            (6) applies lessons learned from unmanned aircraft systems 
        research, development, demonstration, and testing to advanced 
        air mobility systems; and
            (7) coordinate the development of voluntary and consensus 
        technical standards and best practices with other Federal 
        agencies as appropriate.
    (b) Solicitation of Input.--In carrying out the activities under 
subsection (a), the Director of the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology shall--
            (1) solicit input from university researchers, private 
        sector experts, relevant Federal agencies, Federal 
        laboratories, State, local, and Tribal governments, civil 
        society groups, and other relevant stakeholders; and
            (2) provide opportunity for public comment on guidelines 
        and best practices, as appropriate.
    (c) Drone Research Challenges.--
            (1) Prize competition.--Pursuant to section 24 of the 
        Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 
        3719), the Director of the National Institute of Standards and 
        Technology shall carry out a program to award prizes 
        competitively to stimulate research and development of 
        innovative advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems 
        technologies to expand upon and improve emergency response 
        operations.
            (2) Plan for emergency response operations.--Each prize 
        competition entry submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall 
        include a plan for advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft 
        systems implementation in emergency response operations.
            (3) Prize amount.--In carrying out the program under 
        paragraph (1), the Director of the National Institute of 
        Standards and Technology may award not more than a total of 
        $2,250,000 to one or more winners of the prize competition.
            (4) Report.--Not later than 60 days after the date on which 
        a prize is awarded under the prize competition, the Director of 
        the National Institute of Standards and Technology shall submit 
        to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House 
        of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
        Transportation of the Senate a report that describes the 
        winning entry of the prize competition.
            (5) Consultation.--In carrying out the program under 
        paragraph (1), the Director of the National Institute of 
        Standards and Technology may consult with the heads of relevant 
        departments and agencies of the Federal Government.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the National Institute of Standards and Technology to 
carry out this section--
            (1) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2024;
            (2) $21,000,000 for fiscal year 2025;
            (3) $22,050,000 for fiscal year 2026;
            (4) $23,152,500 for fiscal year 2027; and
            (5) $24,310,125 for fiscal year 2028.

SEC. 302. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY MANUFACTURING 
              ACTIVITIES.

    (a) Establishment of Advanced Air Mobility and Unmanned Aircraft 
Systems Pilot Program as a Part of the Manufacturing Extension 
Partnership.--The National Institute of Standards and Technology Act is 
amended by inserting after section 25B (15 U.S.C. 278k-2) the following 
new section:

``SEC. 25C. EXPANSION AWARDS FOR UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS PILOT 
              PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Definitions.--The terms used in this section have the 
meanings given the terms in section 25.
    ``(b) Establishment.--The Director shall establish as a part of the 
Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership a pilot program of 
expansion awards among participants referred to in subsection (c) for 
the purposes described in subsection (e).
    ``(c) Participants.--Participants receiving awards under this 
section shall be Centers, or a consortium of Centers.
    ``(d) Award Amounts.--An award for a recipient under this section 
shall be in an amount equal to the sum of the following:
            ``(1) Such amount as the Director considers appropriate as 
        a minimum base funding level for each award under this section.
            ``(2) Such additional amount as the Director considers in 
        proportion to the manufacturing density of the region of the 
        recipient.
            ``(3) Such supplemental amounts as the Director considers 
        appropriate.
    ``(e) Purpose of Awards.--An award under this section shall be made 
for one or more of the following purposes:
            ``(1) To provide coordinating services on--
                    ``(A) the development of working concepts for new 
                advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems 
                products, including review and design analysis;
                    ``(B) the review and optimization of current 
                advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems 
                designs and components, including industrial 
                engineering and manufacturing design upgrades;
                    ``(C) rapid advanced air mobility and unmanned 
                aircraft systems prototyping services, including three-
                dimensional modeling;
                    ``(D) software development for advanced air 
                mobility and unmanned aircraft systems application;
                    ``(E) commercialization of new products and 
                technology to improve performance of advanced air 
                mobility and unmanned aircraft systems; and
                    ``(F) supporting existing advanced air mobility and 
                unmanned aircraft systems and components manufacturing 
                operations and the development of unmanned aircraft 
                systems and components manufacturing operations.
            ``(2) To provide services to improve the resiliency of 
        domestic advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft system 
        supply chains.
            ``(3) To expand advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft 
        systems technology services to small and medium-sized 
        manufacturers and software developers, which may include--
                    ``(A) facilitating the adoption of technologies, 
                including smart manufacturing technologies and 
                practices; and
                    ``(B) establishing partnerships, for the 
                development, demonstration, and deployment of unmanned 
                aircraft systems technologies, with--
                            ``(i) National Laboratories (as defined in 
                        section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 
                        U.S.C. 15801));
                            ``(ii) Federal laboratories;
                            ``(iii) Manufacturing USA institutes;
                            ``(iv) Unmanned Aircraft Systems Industry; 
                        and
                            ``(v) institutions of higher education.
    ``(f) Applications.--Applications for awards under this section 
shall be submitted in such manner, at such time, and containing such 
information as the Director shall require in consultation with the 
Manufacturing Extension Partnership Advisory Board.
    ``(g) Selection.--
            ``(1) Reviewed and merit-based.--The Director shall ensure 
        that awards under this section are reviewed and merit-based.
            ``(2) Geographic diversity.--The Director shall endeavor to 
        have broad geographic diversity among selected proposals.
            ``(3) Criteria.--The Director shall select applications 
        consistent with the purposes identified pursuant to subsection 
        (e) to receive awards the Director determines will achieve one 
        or more of the following:
                    ``(A) Improvement of the competitiveness of 
                domestic advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft 
                systems industries in the region in which the Center or 
                Centers are located.
                    ``(B) Creation of jobs or training of newly hired 
                employees.
                    ``(C) Promotion of the transfer and 
                commercialization of research and technology from 
                institutions of higher education, national 
                laboratories, or other federally funded research 
                programs, and nonprofit research institutes.
                    ``(D) Any other result the Director determines will 
                advance the objective set forth in section 25(c) or 26.
    ``(h) Global Marketplace Projects.--In making an award under this 
section, the Director, in consultation with the Manufacturing Extension 
Partnership Advisory Board and the Secretary, may take into 
consideration whether an application has significant potential for 
enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium-sized United States 
manufacturers in the global marketplace for advanced air mobility and 
unmanned aircraft systems technologies.
    ``(i) Duration.--The Director shall ensure that the duration of an 
award under this section is aligned and consistent with a Center's 
cooperative agreement established in section 25(e).
    ``(j) Report.--After the completion of the pilot program under 
subsection (b) and not later than October 1, 2025, the Director shall 
submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate a report that includes--
            ``(1) a summary description of what activities were funded 
        and the measurable outcomes of such activities;
            ``(2) a description of which types of activities under 
        paragraph (1) could be integrated into, and supported under, 
        the program under section 25;
            ``(3) a description of which types of activities under 
        paragraph (1) could be integrated into, and supported under, 
        the competitive awards program under section 25A; and
            ``(4) a recommendation, supported by a clear explanation, 
        as to whether the pilot program should be continued.
    ``(k) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out the pilot program under this section 
$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2026.''.
    (b) Manufacturing Extension Partnership Survey.--
            (1) Survey.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
        enactment of this Act, the Director of the National Institute 
        of Standards and Technology shall carry out a survey of the 
        Manufacturing Extension Partnership Centers (referred to in 
        this section as the ``Centers'') to understand the 
        manufacturing capabilities of the United States manufacturers 
        to support robust advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft 
        systems industries in the United States.
            (2) Contents.--In conducting the survey required under 
        subsection (a), the Director of the National Institute of 
        Standards and Technology shall solicit feedback regarding the 
        following:
                    (A) Familiarity and current manufacturing work by 
                small and mid-sized manufacturers on advanced air 
                mobility and unmanned aircraft systems, including 
                components, software, sensors, or other technology 
                associated with advanced air mobility systems and 
                unmanned aircraft systems.
                    (B) A list of the basic manufacturing procedures 
                that can be easily converted to conduct the 
                manufacturing of advanced air mobility systems and 
                unmanned aircraft systems projects.
                    (C) Potential for small-and mid-sized manufacturing 
                to work with industry and academia to support the 
                manufacturers of advanced air mobility systems and 
                unmanned aircraft systems prototypes.
                    (D) Potential for commercialization of ongoing 
                manufacturing development research related to advanced 
                air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems projects.
                    (E) A description of supply chain and technological 
                challenges that small and mid-sized manufacturers face 
                in building up advanced air mobility and unmanned 
                aircraft systems capacity, and the prevalence of such 
                challenges.
                    (F) Regulatory and legal barriers faced by small 
                and mid-sized manufacturers and developers.
                    (G) Any challenges that small and mid-sized 
                manufacturers experience in recruiting skilled workers 
                familiar with advanced air mobility and unmanned 
                aircraft systems manufacturing.
                    (H) Any other information that the Director or the 
                Manufacturing Extension Partnership Advisory Board 
                determine is appropriate.
            (3) Report.--Not later than 60 days after completing the 
        survey required under paragraph (1), the Director of the 
        National Institute of Standards and Technology, in consultation 
        with the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Advisory Board, 
        shall provide to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
        Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
        Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report 
        summarizing the results of the survey.
    (c) Manufacturing USA Program.--The Director of the National 
Institute of Standards and Technology, acting through the Manufacturing 
USA Program, shall prioritize research, development, and demonstration 
activities to enhance and grow the domestic manufacturing capacity of 
advanced air mobility systems and unmanned aircraft systems and 
components. Such activities may include--
            (1) rapid-prototyping and reproduction of advanced air 
        mobility and unmanned aircraft systems structures;
            (2) additive manufacturing to improve capabilities to 
        produce large tools, dies, and molds for advanced air mobility 
        systems and unmanned aircraft systems and components;
            (3) testing innovative manufacturing processes and 
        manufactured components to improve safety, endurance, and 
        quality of advanced air mobility systems and unmanned aircraft 
        systems;
            (4) development of software to streamline fabrication and 
        integration of manufacturing components, such as sensors for 
        use in advanced air mobility systems and unmanned aircraft 
        systems; and
            (5) any other activities that the Director considers 
        appropriate.

            TITLE IV--NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION ACTIVITIES

SEC. 401. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION ACTIVITIES.

    (a) In General.--The Director of the National Science Foundation 
shall support research and STEM education and related activities in 
advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems, components, and 
related technologies, including competitive awards or grants to 
institutions of higher education or eligible nonprofit organizations 
(or consortia thereof).
    (b) Use of Funds.--In carrying out the activities under subsection 
(a), the Director of the National Science Foundation shall--
            (1) support fundamental research on the underlying 
        technologies for advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft 
        systems, components, and related technologies, which may 
        include--
                    (A) improving the safety and reliability of 
                operation systems;
                    (B) developing and improving autonomous control 
                systems, including real-time control and autonomous 
                decisionmaking;
                    (C) incorporating the use of artificial 
                intelligence into systems;
                    (D) improving or developing materials for advanced 
                air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems;
                    (E) understanding safety and sustainability of 
                advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems as 
                a part of a transportation system, including the 
                impacts of advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft 
                systems on ground transportation;
                    (F) developing and improving communications 
                systems, including multivehicle coordination and task 
                and path planning; and
                    (G) understanding the human-drone interface;
            (2) support research and development of advanced air 
        mobility and unmanned aircraft system enabled uses, which may 
        include--
                    (A) creating new sensing tools to improve 
                understanding, prediction, and detection of severe 
                weather and natural hazards, including wildfires;
                    (B) enabling advanced air mobility;
                    (C) monitoring and surveying infrastructure;
                    (D) disaster reconnaissance, including the 
                collection of data to model and simulate disasters and 
                assist responders; and
                    (E) improving the reliable use of advanced sensing 
                systems in rural and agricultural settings;
            (3) support research on data modeling and validation of the 
        use of advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems;
            (4) support research and development on security, including 
        the cybersecurity, of advanced air mobility systems and 
        unmanned aerial aircraft systems;
            (5) support research on the ethical use of advanced air 
        mobility and unmanned aircraft systems, including protection of 
        individual privacy;
            (6) support middle school and high school level STEM 
        education research and related activities related to advanced 
        air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems and related 
        technologies, which may include--
                    (A) supporting curriculum development relating to 
                advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft system 
                applications, including developing place-based learning 
                curriculum, particularly for students in poor, rural, 
                or Tribal communities;
                    (B) utilizing advanced air mobility and unmanned 
                aircraft systems technologies to advance the engagement 
                of students, including students in poor, rural, or 
                Tribal communities, in STEM through providing before 
                school, after-school, out-of-school, or summer 
                activities;
                    (C) developing professional development resources 
                for STEM educators in utilizing advanced air mobility 
                and unmanned aircraft systems technologies and 
                applications in their curriculum and classrooms, 
                including through distance-delivered courses;
                    (D) connecting relevant STEM curriculum to the 
                design, construction and demonstration of advanced air 
                mobility and unmanned aircraft systems; and
                    (E) designing advanced air mobility and unmanned 
                aircraft system related activities designed to help 
                students make real-world connections to STEM content 
                and educate students on the relevance and significance 
                of STEM careers;
            (7) support undergraduate and graduate education and 
        workforce development research and related activities related 
        to advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems and 
        related technologies, which may include--
                    (A) supporting curriculum development relating to 
                advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems 
                applications and technologies;
                    (B) supporting hands-on research opportunities at 
                institutions of higher education, research 
                institutions, including National Labs, and industry for 
                undergraduate and graduate students relating to 
                advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems 
                applications and technologies;
                    (C) facilitating participation in collegiate level 
                advanced air mobility and unmanned systems robotic 
                competitions; and
                    (D) ensuring that students pursuing master's 
                degrees and doctoral degrees in fields relating to 
                advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems are 
                considered as applicants for scholarships and graduate 
                fellowships under the Graduate Research Fellowship 
                Program under section 10 of the National Science 
                Foundation Act of 1950 (42 U.S.C. 1869);
            (8) support activities to develop a skilled technical 
        workforce for supporting and operating advanced air mobility 
        and unmanned aircraft systems, which may include establishing 
        national centers focused on educating and training the skilled 
        technical workforce in advanced air mobility and unmanned 
        aircraft system applications and technologies through the 
        Advanced Scientific and Technical Education Program as 
        authorized by the Scientific and Advanced-Technology Act of 
        1992 (42 U.S.C. 1862i), including by--
                    (A) expanding educational resources to address 
                current workforce demands in advanced air mobility and 
                unmanned aircraft system applications and technologies;
                    (B) developing curriculum for community and 
                technical colleges to train and upskill the skilled 
                technical workforce in advanced air mobility and 
                unmanned aircraft system applications and technologies;
                    (C) engaging the skilled technical workforce 
                community in STEM, advanced air mobility and unmanned 
                aircraft system applications and technologies; and
                    (D) in partnership with industry, employing 
                activities to increase the visibility and utility of 
                careers in advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft 
                applications and technologies;
            (9) engage veterans and departing members of the Armed 
        Forces in activities specified in paragraphs (7) and (8);
            (10) support one or more Institutes as described in section 
        201(a) for the purpose of advancing the field of advanced air 
        mobility and unmanned aircraft systems;
            (11) support prize competitions pursuant to section 24 of 
        the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 
        U.S.C. 3719);
            (12) establish a robust data management strategy that 
        ensures digital access and machine-readability; that promotes 
        findability, interoperability, analysis- and decision-readiness 
        and reusability; and ensures applicable scientific data are 
        managed for wide use by the Federal Government, State, local 
        and Tribal governments, academia, and the public;
            (13) applies lessons learned from unmanned aircraft systems 
        research, development, demonstration, and testing to advanced 
        air mobility systems; and
            (14) any other activities the Director determines necessary 
        to meet the goals specified in subsection (a).
    (c) Public-Private Partnerships.--As part of the activities under 
subsection (a), the Director of the National Science Foundation shall 
support public-private partnerships to support domestic development of 
advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems in the United 
States and address pre-competitive industry challenges.
    (d) Interagency Coordination.--In carrying out the program under 
this section, the Director of the National Science Foundation shall 
coordinate with the heads of other Federal departments and agencies to 
avoid duplication of research and other activities to ensure that the 
activities carried out under this section are complementary to those 
being undertaken by such other agencies.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the National Science Foundation to carry out this 
section--
            (1) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2024;
            (2) $52,500,000 for fiscal year 2025;
            (3) $55,125,000 for fiscal year 2026;
            (4) $57,881,775 for fiscal year 2027; and
            (5) $60,775,863 for fiscal year 2028.

   TITLE V--NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION ACTIVITIES

SEC. 501. NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION ACTIVITIES.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration, in consultation with the Administrator of the 
Federal Aviation Administration and other relevant Federal agencies, 
shall direct research and technological development to facilitate the 
safe integration of advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems 
into the National Airspace System, including--
            (1) positioning and navigation systems;
            (2) sense and avoid capabilities;
            (3) secure data and communication links;
            (4) flight recovery systems;
            (5) human systems integration; and
            (6) hazardous weather condition avoidance.
    (b) Cooperative Unmanned Aircraft System Activities.--Section 31504 
of title 51, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new sentence: ``Operational flight data derived from these 
cooperative agreements shall be made available, in appropriate and 
usable formats, to the Administration and the Federal Aviation 
Administration for the development of regulatory standards.''.
    (c) Policy.--The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration shall work with industry, the Federal Aviation 
Administration, the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland 
Security, and academia to mature and help operationalize advanced air 
mobility and unmanned aircraft system traffic management related 
concepts, architecture, services, and strategic as well as tactical 
deconfliction to ensure safe integration of advanced air mobility and 
unmanned aircraft systems in airspace in presence of other aircraft. As 
part of such activities, the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration shall consider commercial and public good use cases, 
such as wildfire and disaster monitoring and mitigation, with a primary 
focus on enabling many simultaneous drone operations beyond visual line 
of sight.
    (d) Lessons Learned.--The Administrator of the National Aeronautics 
and Space Administration shall apply lessons learned from unmanned 
aircraft systems research, development, demonstration, and testing to 
advanced air mobility systems.
    (e) Coordination.--The Administrator of the National Aeronautics 
and Space Administration shall coordinate with the Administrator of the 
Federal Aviation Administration, the Director of the National 
Institutes of Standards and Technology, State, local and Tribal 
governments, and industry to inform the development of voluntary 
consensus-based technical standards to facilitate the incorporation of 
advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems into the National 
Airspace System and decrease the need for regulations.
    (f) Assessment.--The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration shall coordinate with the Administrator of the 
Federal Aviation Administration to conduct an assessment to identify 
metrics and performance measures necessary to safely integrate unmanned 
aircraft systems and advanced air mobility systems into the National 
Airspace System.
    (g) Report.--Not later than 60 days after the completion of the 
assessment under subsection (f), the Administrator of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration shall submit to the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a 
report on the progress toward meeting metric and performance measures 
referred to in such subsection.

SEC. 502. NATIONAL STUDENT UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS COMPETITION 
              PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration shall establish a national program to carry out 
unmanned aircraft systems technology competitions for students at the 
high school and undergraduate level (in this section referred to as 
``competitions'') in which students shall compete to design, create, 
and demonstrate an unmanned aircraft system.
    (b) Competition Administration.--The Administrator of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration shall select, on a merit-reviewed, 
competitive basis, an institution of higher education to administer the 
competitions (in this section referred to as the ``competition 
administrator'').
    (c) Considerations for Selecting Competition Administrator.--In 
selecting an institution of higher education to administer the 
competition, the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration shall consider the institution of higher education's 
prior experience in--
            (1) administering such competitions;
            (2) administering national STEM engagement programs;
            (3) engaging eligible institutions from diverse geographic 
        areas, including poor, rural, and Tribal communities; and
            (4) connecting STEM activities to Administration missions 
        and centers.
    (d) Competition Administrator Responsibilities.--The competition 
administrator shall be responsible for--
            (1) awarding grants to institutions of higher education or 
        nonprofit organizations (or a consortium of such institutions 
        or organizations) on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis to 
        host individual competitions;
            (2) developing STEM curriculum to be utilized by the 
        competition awardees to help students make the connection to 
        the design, construction, and demonstration of the unmanned 
        aircraft systems;
            (3) developing curriculum to assist students in making 
        real-world connections to STEM content and educate students on 
        the relevance and significance of STEM careers;
            (4) ensuring awardees are supporting the activities laid 
        out in subsection (f);
            (5) conducting performance evaluations of competitions, 
        including data collection on--
                    (A) the number of students engaged;
                    (B) geographic and institutional diversity of 
                participating schools and institutions of higher 
                education; and
            (6) any other activities the Administrator finds necessary 
        to ensure the competitions are successful.
    (e) Additional Considerations.--In awarding grants authorized in 
subsection (d), the competition administrator shall give priority to 
applications that include a partnership with that State's space grant 
program under chapter 403 of title 51, United States Code.
    (f) Permitted Activities.--In carrying out the competitions 
authorized in subsection (a), the competition administrator shall 
ensure competitions occurring at both the high school and undergraduate 
levels--
            (1) allow students to design, construct, and demonstrate an 
        unmanned aircraft system;
            (2) allow students to compete with other teams in the 
        performance of the constructed unmanned aircraft system;
            (3) connect to relevant missions and Center activities of 
        the Administration;
            (4) connect relevant STEM curriculum to the design, 
        construction, and demonstration of unmanned aircraft systems;
            (5) support activities designed to help students make real-
        world connections to STEM content and educate students on the 
        relevance and significance of STEM careers; and
            (6) are geographically dispersed in order to serve a broad 
        student population, including those in rural and underserved 
        communities.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration $6,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028 to 
carry out this section. Of the funds authorized for each such fiscal 
year--
            (1) $1,000,000 shall be for the competition administrator 
        as authorized in subsection (b); and
            (2) $5,000,000 shall be awarded for grants to carry out 
        competitions as authorized by subsection (d).

               TITLE VI--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ACTIVITIES

SEC. 601. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY RESEARCH PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy shall carry out a cross-
cutting research, development, and demonstration program to advance 
unmanned aircraft system technologies, capabilities, and workforce 
needs and to improve the reliability of unmanned aircraft systems 
implementation methods relevant to the mission of the Department of 
Energy. In carrying out such program, the Secretary shall coordinate 
across all relevant offices and activities at the Department, including 
the Office of Science, the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable 
Energy, the Office of Nuclear Energy, the Office of Fossil Energy, the 
Office of Electricity, the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, 
and Emergency Response, the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, 
the Office of Environmental Management, the Office of Environment, 
Health, Safety and Security, the National Nuclear Security 
Administration, the Artificial Intelligence Technology Office, the UAS 
Research and Engineering Center, and any other relevant office or 
activity as determined appropriate by the Secretary.
    (b) Program Components.--In carrying out the program under 
subsection (a), the Secretary of Energy shall--
            (1) formulate goals for unmanned aircraft systems research 
        activities to be supported by the Department of Energy, 
        including in the research areas under subsection (c);
            (2) leverage the collective body of knowledge from existing 
        unmanned aircraft systems research and development activities, 
        including the work underway by the Unmanned Aircraft Systems 
        Research and Engineering Center;
            (3) provide research experiences and training for 
        undergraduate and graduate students in unmanned aircraft 
        systems research and development, including in the fields of--
                    (A) artificial intelligence and machine learning;
                    (B) applied mathematics and algorithm development;
                    (C) advanced imaging, sensing, and detection 
                technologies;
                    (D) materials science and engineering; and
                    (E) advanced energy technologies and propulsion 
                approaches;
            (4) establish a robust data management strategy that--
                    (A) ensures digital access and machine-readability;
                    (B) promotes findability, interoperability, 
                analysis- and decision-readiness and reusability; and
                    (C) ensures applicable scientific data are managed 
                for wide use by the Federal Government, State, local, 
                and Tribal governments, academia, and the public; and
            (5) support one or more Institutes as described in section 
        201(a) for the purpose of advancing the fields of unmanned 
        aircraft systems and the mission of the Department.
    (c) Research Areas.--In carrying out the program under subsection 
(a), the Secretary of Energy shall award financial assistance to 
eligible entities to carry out research, development, and demonstration 
projects over a range of subject areas including--
            (1) fundamental science and technology areas, which may 
        include--
                    (A) advanced sensor technologies and processes, 
                including--
                            (i) optical capabilities, including Light 
                        Detection and Ranging, hyperspectral, 
                        thermographic, and visible imaging 
                        capabilities;
                            (ii) nonoptical electromagnetic 
                        capabilities, including radar and 
                        radiofrequency capabilities;
                            (iii) acoustic capabilities, including 
                        ultrasonic capabilities; and
                            (iv) radiation detection, gravimetric, 
                        hyperspectral or other measurement modalities;
                    (B) advanced technologies and methods for remote 
                handling, precision positioning, and navigation 
                control;
                    (C) advanced technologies for secure autonomous 
                operation, including edge computing and artificial 
                intelligence;
                    (D) power electronics and wireless charging 
                systems;
                    (E) novel materials, including lightweight and 
                radiation-resistant materials;
                    (F) scalability of unmanned aircraft systems for 
                increased payload capacity;
                    (G) technologies and processes to improve secure 
                interoperability practices, including with existing 
                satellites, constellation networks, and surface-based 
                facilities;
                    (H) strategies and technologies for integrated 
                cybersecurity considerations;
                    (I) strategies and technologies for improved 
                endurance, including lightweight long duration fuels, 
                batteries, and fuel cells;
                    (J) open architectures and advanced algorithms to 
                enable multi-sensor fusion and tracking of unmanned 
                aircraft systems; and
                    (K) swarm and cooperative drone data collection and 
                operation, and integration of drone control systems 
                with dynamic sampling and real-time digital twin 
                simulations; and
            (2) approaches for leveraging unmanned aircraft systems for 
        diverse applications, which may include--
                    (A) advanced assessment, characterization, mapping, 
                and recovery of energy resources, such as geothermal 
                energy, biofuels, and critical minerals resources;
                    (B) field testing and monitoring of energy systems, 
                such as onshore and offshore wind energy, fossil 
                energy, solar energy, marine energy, nuclear energy, 
                and hydropower systems;
                    (C) damage assessment of the electric grid and 
                energy infrastructure following physical events such as 
                wildland fires, including prescribed burns containment 
                and emissions measurements, potential health and safety 
                effects from contaminant releases and dispersals, and 
                real-time analysis of impacted assets;
                    (D) leak detection of greenhouse gases related to 
                energy production, including methane leak detection;
                    (E) agriculture and aquaculture applications;
                    (F) integrated data collection to inform and 
                enhance Department of Energy modeling capabilities, 
                including the development of climate and earth systems 
                models;
                    (G) assistance in environmental management and 
                cleanup activities;
                    (H) assistance in Department infrastructure 
                management at National Laboratories and other relevant 
                Department sites;
                    (I) intrusion detection and facility monitoring for 
                physical security applications; and
                    (J) asset extraction of building envelope features 
                and characteristics for rapid energy modeling purposes.
    (d) Technology Transfer.--In carrying out the program under 
subsection (a), and in coordination with the Office of Technology 
Transitions, the Secretary of Energy shall support technology transfer 
of unmanned aircraft systems research by partnering with industry.
    (e) Facility Use.--In carrying out the program under subsection 
(a), the Secretary of Energy shall make available high-performance 
computing infrastructure and other relevant research facilities and 
test beds at the National Laboratories.
    (f) Interagency Coordination and Nonduplication.--In carrying out 
the program under subsection (a), the Secretary of Energy shall 
coordinate with the heads of other Federal departments and agencies to 
avoid duplication of research and other activities and to ensure that 
the activities carried out under such program are complementary to 
those currently being undertaken by such other departments and 
agencies.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Department of Energy to carry out this section--
            (1) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2024;
            (2) $52,500,000 for fiscal year 2025;
            (3) $55,125,000 for fiscal year 2026;
            (4) $57,881,775 for fiscal year 2027; and
            (5) $60,775,863 for fiscal year 2028.
    (h) Eligible Entities Defined.--In this title, the term ``eligible 
entity'' means--
            (1) an institution of higher education;
            (2) a National Laboratory;
            (3) a State, local, territorial, or Tribal government 
        research agency;
            (4) a nonprofit research organization;
            (5) a private sector entity; or
            (6) a consortium of two or more entities described in any 
        of paragraphs (1) through (5).

         TITLE VII--DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ACTIVITIES

SEC. 701. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ACTIVITIES.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Homeland Security, acting through 
the Under Secretary for Science and Technology of the Department of 
Homeland Security, shall--
            (1) support research, development, evaluation and testing 
        for advanced air mobility, unmanned aircraft systems, counter-
        UAS systems, and detection systems capabilities, including 
        for--
                    (A) air domain awareness and advanced air mobility 
                and unmanned aircraft systems traffic monitoring;
                    (B) privacy, security, and cybersecurity of 
                advanced air mobility systems, unmanned aircraft 
                systems, and counter-UAS systems capabilities;
                    (C) safety of advanced air mobility and unmanned 
                aircraft systems;
                    (D) safety of operations in the National Airspace 
                System; and
                    (E) testing and evaluation of unmanned aircraft 
                systems and counter-UAS systems capabilities, 
                performance systems engineering, and operational 
                analysis;
            (2) coordinate with all relevant offices and programs of 
        the Department of Homeland Security, including the 
        Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, U.S. Customs 
        and Border Protection, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, 
        the Federal Protective Service, the Transportation Security 
        Administration, the United States Coast Guard, and the United 
        States Secret Service;
            (3) produce curated, standardized, representative, secure, 
        and privacy protected data sets for advanced air mobility 
        systems, unmanned aircraft systems, and counter-UAS systems, 
        including detection systems, development, archiving, and use, 
        prioritizing data for high-value, high-risk research;
            (4) support one or more Institutes as described in section 
        201(a) for the purpose of advancing the field of advanced air 
        mobility, unmanned aircraft systems, and counter-UAS systems, 
        including detection systems capabilities;
            (5) apply lessons learned from unmanned aircraft systems 
        research, development, evaluation, and testing to advanced air 
        mobility systems; and
            (6) enter into and perform such contracts, including 
        cooperative research and development arrangements and grants 
        and cooperative agreements or other transactions, as may be 
        necessary in the conduct of the work of the Department and on 
        such terms as the Secretary considers appropriate, in 
        furtherance of the purposes of this Act.
    (b) Counter-UAS Center of Excellence.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
        establish in the Department of Homeland Security a center of 
        excellence to carry out research and development that advances 
        counter-UAS systems capabilities.
            (2) Selection of host institution.--
                    (A) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland Security 
                shall make a grant to one institution of higher 
                education, or a consortium of institutions of higher 
                education, to host and maintain the center of 
                excellence established under this subsection.
                    (B) Selection criteria.--In selecting such an 
                institution or consortium, the Secretary of Homeland 
                Security shall--
                            (i) give preference to applicants with 
                        strong past performance related to counter-UAS 
                        systems research, education, and workforce 
                        development activities;
                            (ii) give preference to applicants 
                        geographically collocated within 100 miles of 
                        Federal departments or agencies that currently 
                        possess or operate extant counter-UAS system 
                        facilities;
                            (iii) give preference to applicants having 
                        proven abilities and strong research 
                        enterprises in systems engineering, radio 
                        frequency (RF) directed energy, radar and 
                        antenna research and development, atmospheric 
                        monitoring that can support chemical, 
                        biological, radiological and nuclear detection 
                        to include trace gases and particular matter 
                        (PM), target tracking, remote sensing, and the 
                        ability to leverage artificial intelligence and 
                        machine learning to support the required data 
                        analytics;
                            (iv) consider the extent to which the 
                        applicant would involve the public and private 
                        sectors; and
                            (v) consider the regional and national 
                        impacts of the applicant's proposed research 
                        and development activities.
            (3) Use of funds.--The institution of higher education or 
        consortium may use funds provided under this subsection to 
        carry out fundamental research, evaluation, education, 
        workforce development, and training efforts related to counter-
        UAS systems subject areas, including safety, privacy, security, 
        cybersecurity, detecting, identifying, monitoring, tracking, 
        disrupting and seizing control, confiscating, disabling, 
        damaging, destruction, remote sensing, forensics, testing and 
        evaluation of systems capabilities, performance, systems 
        engineering, operational analysis, and advanced technologies.
            (4) Federal share.--The Department of Homeland Security 
        share of a grant under this subsection shall not exceed 75 
        percent of the costs of establishing and operating the center 
        of excellence and related research activities carried out by 
        the grant recipient.
            (5) Authorization of appropriations.--
                    (A) Fiscal year 2024.--There is authorized to be 
                appropriated to the Secretary of Homeland Security 
                $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2024 for making grants 
                under this subsection.
                    (B) Fiscal years 2025 through 2028.--There are 
                authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of 
                Homeland Security $5,000,000 in each of fiscal years 
                2025 through 2028 for making grants under this 
                subsection.
            (6) Institution of higher education.--In this subsection, 
        the term ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning 
        given the term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 
        1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).
    (c) Interagency Coordination.--In carrying out the activities under 
subsection (a), the Secretary of Homeland Security shall coordinate 
with the heads of other Federal departments and agencies to avoid 
duplication of research and other activities and to ensure such 
activities are complimentary to those currently being undertaken by 
such other departments and agencies.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary of Homeland Security to carry out this 
section--
            (1) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2024;
            (2) $31,500,000 for fiscal year 2025;
            (3) $33,075,000 for fiscal year 2026;
            (4) $34,728,750 for fiscal year 2027; and
            (5) $36,465,187 for fiscal year 2028.

 TITLE VIII--NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION ACTIVITIES

SEC. 801. NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION RESEARCH AND 
              DEVELOPMENT.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration shall carry out and support research, 
development, and demonstration activities to advance unmanned aircraft 
systems technologies, and capabilities, and to enhance the deployment 
of, and data collected by, unmanned aircraft systems relevant to the 
mission of the Administration, incorporate such data into operations, 
and ensure data are managed, stewarded, and archived appropriately. In 
carrying out such activities, the Administrator shall coordinate across 
all relevant offices and programs of the Administration, including the 
Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, National Environmental 
Satellite, Data, and Information Service, National Marine Fisheries 
Service, National Ocean Service, National Weather Service, and the 
Office of Marine and Aviation Operations.
    (b) Program Components.--In carrying out subsection (a), the 
Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
shall--
            (1) test, evaluate, and demonstrate the utility of unmanned 
        aircraft systems technologies for the Administration;
            (2) support Administration activities and Cooperative 
        Institute referred to in subsection (i)(3) projects, and 
        support and encourage Federal and State agencies, academic 
        institutions, nongovernmental organizations, industry 
        representatives, and others to--
                    (A) accelerate the transition of unmanned aircraft 
                systems capabilities from research to operations and 
                other uses and facilitate new unmanned aircraft systems 
                applications within the Administration;
                    (B) evaluate current observation strategies and 
                identify critical data gaps best suited for advanced 
                unmanned aircraft systems;
                    (C) prioritize activities that collect or acquire 
                routine observations which feed forecasts and models;
                    (D) test, develop, and evaluate safe systems 
                capable of safely operating beyond visual line of 
                sight;
                    (E) collect or acquire measurements of atmospheric 
                and oceanic parameters; and
                    (F) ensure the archiving, stewardship, utility, and 
                preservation of and public accessibility to the 
                observations collected are shared with the 
                Administration;
            (3) provide and support research experiences and training 
        for undergraduate and graduate students in unmanned aircraft 
        systems research, development, and operations relevant to the 
        mission of the Administration, and other education and training 
        opportunities consistent with the purpose of this section;
            (4) contribute to and supplement field campaigns at the 
        Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement user 
        facility in order to incorporate unmanned aircraft systems and 
        resulting data into the development of combined observational 
        and modeling elements; and
            (5) support and conduct leading-edge research and 
        development of innovative unmanned aircraft systems 
        technologies and concepts to advance research areas in 
        subsection (c).
    (c) Research Areas.--In carrying out subsection (a), the 
Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
shall award financial assistance to eligible entities to carry out 
projects on the use of unmanned aircraft systems to collect 
environmental data and monitor climate impacts, including--
            (1) severe weather forecasts and damage assessments;
            (2) rapid flood mapping;
            (3) real-time hurricane data, including close-to-surface 
        and low altitude meteorological measurements;
            (4) enhanced atmospheric monitoring and sampling, including 
        physical and chemical measurements in the atmospheric boundary 
        layer;
            (5) marine mammal detection and monitoring;
            (6) near-real time harmful algal bloom measurements for 
        rapid response efforts;
            (7) coastal restoration and habitation monitoring, 
        including detection and monitoring of marine debris, oil spill, 
        and hazardous materials;
            (8) mapping, charting, and geodesy applications to support 
        safety of navigation;
            (9) wildfire observations and data to improve fire weather 
        modeling;
            (10) other areas related to science and stewardship of the 
        climate, weather, oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes; and
            (11) any other areas the Administrator determines necessary 
        and appropriate.
    (d) Priority.--In carrying out the research areas in subsection 
(c), the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration shall, to the maximum extent practicable, prioritize 
activities that increase the Administration's operational use of 
unmanned aircraft systems by extending the range of times, location, 
and conditions in which observations can be made at lower cost. As part 
of such activities, the Administrator may--
            (1) enter into contracts with one or more entities in the 
        commercial data sector to acquire data collected by unmanned 
        aircraft systems; and
            (2) leverage existing facilities, instruments, and tools, 
        including the Administration's satellites, fleet of ships, and 
        crewed aircraft.
    (e) Technology Transfer.--In carrying out subsection (a), and in 
coordination with the Small Business Innovation Research program of the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Administrator of 
the Administration shall support technology transfer of unmanned 
aircraft systems research by partnering with Federal agencies and 
industry.
    (f) Coordination.--The Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration shall coordinate the activities authorized 
under this section with the activities authorized in section 3 of the 
Commercial Engagement Through Ocean Technology Act of 2018 (33 U.S.C. 
4102) and engage with other Federal departments and agencies, research 
communities, nongovernmental organizations, and industry stakeholders 
through the interagency working group under section 101.
    (g) Support of Institutes.--For the purposes of subsection (a), the 
Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
may support relevant activities at one or more Institutes under section 
201(a) for the purpose of advancing the field of unmanned aircraft 
systems.
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration to carry out this section--
            (1) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2024;
            (2) $15,750,000 for fiscal year 2025;
            (3) $16,537,500 for fiscal year 2026;
            (4) $17,364,375 for fiscal year 2027; and
            (5) $18,232,593 for fiscal year 2028.
    (i) Eligible Entities.--In this title, the term ``eligible 
entities'' means--
            (1) an institution of higher education;
            (2) a National Laboratory;
            (3) a NOAA Cooperative Institute;
            (4) a State, local, territorial, or Tribal government 
        agency;
            (5) a nonprofit organization;
            (6) a private sector entity; or
            (7) a consortium of 2 or more entities described in 
        subparagraphs (A) through (F).

          TITLE IX--FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION ACTIVITIES

SEC. 901. FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration, in coordination with the Administrator of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration and the heads of other Federal 
agencies, shall carry out and support research, development, testing, 
and demonstration activities to--
            (1) advance advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft 
        systems; and
            (2) facilitate the safe integration of advanced air 
        mobility and unmanned aircraft systems into the national 
        airspace system.
    (b) Lessons Learned.--The Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration shall apply lessons learned from unmanned aircraft 
systems research, development, demonstration, and testing to advanced 
air mobility systems.
    (c) Unmanned and Manned Aircraft Safety Research.--As part of the 
activities under subsection (a), the Administrator of the Federal 
Aviation Administration shall conduct comprehensive research and 
testing for advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems safety, 
including--
            (1) collisions between advanced air mobility and unmanned 
        aircraft systems of various sizes, traveling at various speeds, 
        and commercial jet airliners of various sizes, traveling at 
        various speeds;
            (2) collisions between advanced air mobility and unmanned 
        aircraft systems of various sizes, traveling at various speeds, 
        and propeller planes of various sizes, traveling at various 
        speeds;
            (3) collisions between advanced air mobility and unmanned 
        aircraft systems of various sizes, traveling at various speeds, 
        and blimps of various sizes, traveling at various speeds;
            (4) collisions between advanced air mobility and unmanned 
        aircraft systems of various sizes, traveling at various speeds, 
        and rotorcraft of various sizes, traveling at various speeds; 
        and
            (5) collisions between advanced air mobility and unmanned 
        aircraft systems and various parts of the aircraft specified in 
        paragraph (1) through (4), including--
                    (A) windshields;
                    (B) noses;
                    (C) engines;
                    (D) radomes;
                    (E) propellers; and
                    (F) wings.
    (d) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report 
summarizing the costs and results of research under subsection (c).
    (e) Study.--Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration 
shall commission an independent study to--
            (1) develop parameters to conduct research and development 
        for probabilistic metrics to enable the identification of 
        hazards and the assessment of risks as necessary to make 
        determinations under section 44807 of title 49, United States 
        Code, that certain advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft 
        systems may operate safely in the national airspace system; and
            (2) identify additional research needed to more effectively 
        develop and use such metrics and make such determinations.
In developing parameters for probabilistic metrics, the study conducted 
pursuant to this subsection shall take into account the utility of 
performance standards to make determinations under section 44809 of 
title 49, United States Code. The Administrator shall consider the 
results of the study when making a determination under such section 
44809.
    (f) Study Submission.--Not later than nine months after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration shall submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate the results of the 
study conducted under subsection (e).
    (g) Probabilistic Assessment of Risks.--The Administrator of the 
Federal Aviation Administration shall conduct research and development 
to enable a probabilistic assessment of risks to inform requirements 
for standards for operational certification of public advanced air 
mobility systems and unmanned aircraft systems in the national 
airspace.
    (h) Support for Institutes.--The Administrator of the Federal 
Aviation Administration may support one or more institutes described in 
section 201(a) for the purpose of advancing the field of unmanned 
aircraft systems and supporting the mission of the Administration.

SEC. 902. UNIVERSITY UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS AND ADVANCE AIR MOBILITY 
              CENTERS.

    (a) Grants for Establishment and Operation.--The Administrator of 
the Federal Aviation Administration shall make grants to one or more 
institutions of higher education to establish and operate one regional 
university advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft system center in 
each of the ten Federal regions which compromise the Standards Federal 
Regions established by the Office of Management and Budget in the 
document entitled ``Standard Federal Regions'' and dated April 1974 
(circular A-105).
    (b) Responsibilities.--The responsibilities of the unmanned 
aircraft systems and advanced air mobility center established under 
this section shall include the conduct of advanced air mobility 
research and research concerning safely integrating unmanned aircraft 
systems into the national airspace system and the interpretation, 
publication, and dissemination of the results of such research. The 
responsibility of one such center may include research on detection and 
avoidance capabilities.
    (c) Application.--An institution of higher education interested in 
receiving a grant under this section shall submit to the Administrator 
of the Federal Aviation Administration an application in such form and 
containing such information as the Administrator may require.
    (d) Selection Criteria.--The Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration shall select recipients of grants under this section on 
the basis of the following criteria:
            (1) The grant recipient shall have demonstrated research 
        and extension resources available for carrying out this 
        subsection.
            (2) The grant recipient shall have demonstrated its 
        capability to provide leadership in making national and 
        regional contributions for addressing long-range and immediate 
        advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems issues.
            (3) The grant recipient shall have an established advanced 
        air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems or related research 
        program.
            (4) The grant recipient shall have a demonstrated 
        commitment to supporting ongoing advanced air mobility and 
        unmanned aircraft systems research programs.
            (5) The grant recipient shall have demonstrated ability to 
        disseminate results of advanced air mobility and unmanned 
        aircraft systems research and educational programs through a 
        statewide or regionwide continuing education program.
    (e) Consideration.--In making a selection of a grant recipient, the 
Administrator shall consider the projects which the grant recipient 
proposes to carry out under the grant.
    (f) Location.--The unmanned aircraft system and advanced air 
mobility center shall be located in a State which is representative of 
the needs of the Federal region for improved advanced air mobility and 
unmanned aircraft systems test facilities.
    (g) Federal Share.--The Federal share of a grant under this section 
shall be 75 percent of the costs of establishing and operating the 
regional center and related research activities carried out by the 
grant recipient.
    (h) National Advisory Council.--
            (1) Establishment; functions.--The Administrator of the 
        Federal Aviation Administration shall establish in the 
        Administration a national advisory council to--
                    (A) coordinate the research and training to be 
                carried out by grant recipients;
                    (B) disseminate the results of such research;
                    (C) act as a clearing house between such centers 
                and the advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft 
                systems industry; and
                    (D) review and evaluate programs carried out by 
                such centers.
            (2) Members.--The national advisory council established 
        under this subsection shall be composed of the directors of the 
        advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems centers and 
        19 other members appointed by the Administrator of the Federal 
        Aviation Administration as follows:
                    (A) Six officers of the Federal Aviation 
                Administration, of whom--
                            (i) one represents the Office of the 
                        Administrator;
                            (ii) one represents the Unmanned Aircraft 
                        Systems Integration Office;
                            (iii) one represents the Office of NextGen;
                            (iv) one represents the Office of Aviation 
                        Safety;
                            (v) one represents the Office of Air 
                        Traffic Organization; and
                            (vi) one represents the Mike Monroney 
                        Aeronautical Center.
                    (B) Five representatives of State, local, Tribal, 
                or territorial governments.
                    (C) Eight representatives of the unmanned aircraft 
                systems industry, including private industry.
            (3) Term of office; pay; chairman.--Each of the members 
        appointed by the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
        Administration shall serve without pay. The chairman of the 
        national advisory council shall be designated by the 
        Administrator.
            (4) Meetings.--The national advisory council shall meet at 
        least annually and at such other times as the chairman may 
        designate.
            (5) Agency information.--Subject to subchapter II of 
        chapter 5 of title 5, United States Code, the national advisory 
        council may secure directly from any department or agency of 
        the United States information necessary to enable it to carry 
        out this subsection. Upon request from the chairman of the 
        council, the head of such department or agency shall furnish 
        such information to the council.
            (6) Termination date inapplicable.--Section 14 of the 
        Federal Advisory Committee Act shall not apply to the council.
    (i) Allocation of Funds.--The Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration shall allocate funds made available to carry out this 
section equitably among Federal regions.
    (j) Technology Transfer Set-Aside.--Not less than five percent of 
the funds made available to carry out this section for any fiscal year 
shall be available to carry out technology transfer activities.

SEC. 903. ALLOWANCE FOR THE PURPOSES OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

    Except as necessary to support enforcement action under applicable 
provisions of law against persons operating an advanced air mobility 
system or unmanned aircraft in a manner that endangers the safety of 
the National Airspace System, and notwithstanding any other provision 
of law relating to the incorporation of advanced air mobility and 
unmanned aircraft systems into Federal Aviation Administration plans 
and policies, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration 
may not promulgate any rule or regulation regarding the operation of an 
unmanned aircraft system--
            (1) that is flown strictly for research and development 
        use;
            (2) that is operated less than 400 feet above the ground 
        and in Class G airspace;
            (3) that is operated in a manner that does not interfere 
        with and gives way to any manned aircraft; and
            (4) with respect to which, in any case in which the 
        unmanned aircraft system is flown within five miles of an 
        airport, the operator of the aircraft provides the airport 
        operator and the airport air traffic control tower (when an air 
        traffic facility is located at the airport) with prior notice 
        of such operation, including by establishing a mutually agreed 
        upon operating procedure in cases with respect to which such 
        unmanned aircraft system is flown from a permanent location 
        within five miles of an airport.

SEC. 904. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) Federal Aviation Administration Research and Development 
Funding.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator 
of the Federal Aviation Administration to carry out section 901--
            (1) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2024;
            (2) $21,000,000 for fiscal year 2025;
            (3) $22,050,000 for fiscal year 2026;
            (4) $23,152,500 for fiscal year 2027; and
            (5) $24,310,125 for fiscal year 2028.
    (b) University Unmanned Aircraft Systems Center Funding.--There are 
authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator of the Federal 
Aviation Administration to carry out section 902--
            (1) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2024;
            (2) $105,000,000 for fiscal year 2025;
            (3) $110,250,000 for fiscal year 2026;
            (4) $115,762,500 for fiscal year 2027; and
            (5) $121,550,625 for fiscal year 2028.

                          TITLE X--LIMITATION

SEC. 1001. LIMITATION.

    (a) In General.--Except as otherwise provided in this section, none 
of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act may be used for 
the purchase, acquisition, or operation of advanced air mobility and 
unmanned aircraft systems--
            (1) produced or assembled in, or containing components 
        produced or assembled in, a foreign country of concern; or
            (2) produced or assembled by entities owned, controlled by, 
        or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of the government 
        of, a foreign country of concern.
    (b) Exception.--The limitation in subsection (a) shall not apply to 
the acquisition of advanced air mobility and unmanned aircraft systems 
for the purposes of research and development for improving the United 
States counter-unmanned aircraft systems capabilities.
    (c) Waiver.--The Secretary of Commerce may waive the limitation in 
subsection (a) if the Secretary determines, in consultation with the 
Director of National Intelligence, that such waiver is in the national 
security interest of the United States.
    (d) Report to Congress.--The Secretary of Commerce shall report the 
issuance of such a waiver to the relevant committees of jurisdiction of 
Congress not later than 30 days after issuing such waiver.
    (e) Definition.--In this section, the term ``foreign country of 
concern'' means--
            (1) a country that is a covered nation (as defined in 
        section 4872(d) of title 10 United States Code); and
            (2) any country that the Secretary of Commerce, in 
        consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Director of 
        National Intelligence, determines to be engaged in conduct that 
        is detrimental to the national security or foreign policy of 
        the United States.
                                 &lt;all&gt;
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