117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5315 
AN ACT 
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish in 
the Department of Transportation a drone infrastructure 
inspection grant program and a drone education and 
training grant program, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Drone Infrastructure 
Inspection Grant Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DRONE INFRASTRUCTURE INSPECTION GRANT 
PROGRAM. 
(a) AUTHORITY.—The Secretary of Transportation 
shall establish a drone infrastructure inspection grant pro-
gram to make grants to governmental entities to facilitate 
the use of eligible small unmanned aircraft systems to in-
crease efficiency, reduce costs, improve worker and com-
munity safety, reduce carbon emissions, or meet other pri-
orities (as determined by the Secretary) related to critical 
infrastructure projects. 
(b) USE OF GRANT AMOUNTS.—A governmental enti-
ty may use a grant provided under this section to— 
(1) purchase or lease eligible small unmanned 
aircraft systems; 
(2) support operational capabilities of eligible 
small unmanned aircraft systems by the govern-
mental entity; 
(3) contract for services performed with an eli-
gible small unmanned aircraft system in cir-
cumstances in which the governmental entity does 
not have the resources or expertise to safely carry 
out or assist in carrying out the activities described 
under subsection (a); and
(4) support the program management capability 
of the governmental entity to use an eligible small 
unmanned aircraft system. 
(c) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a grant 
under this section, a governmental entity shall submit an 
application to the Secretary at such time, in such form, 
and containing such information as the Secretary may re-
quire, including an assurance that the governmental entity 
or its contractor will comply with relevant federal regula-
tions. 
(d) SELECTION OF APPLICANTS.—In selecting an ap-
plicant for a grant under this section, the Secretary shall 
prioritize projects that propose to— 
(1) carry out a critical infrastructure project in 
a historically disadvantaged community; or 
(2) address a safety risk in the inspection, oper-
ation, maintenance, repair, modernization, or con-
struction of an element of critical infrastructure. 
(e) LIMITATION.—Nothing in this section shall be 
construed as to interfere with an agreement between a 
governmental entity and a labor union. 
(f) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 1 year 
after the first grant is provided under this section, the 
Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Transpor-
tation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives
and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation of the Senate a report that evaluates the program 
carried out under this section, including— 
(1) a description of the number of grants 
awarded; 
(2) the amount of each grant; 
(3) the activities funded under this section; and 
(4) the effectiveness of such funded activities in 
meeting the objectives described in subsection (a). 
(g) FUNDING.— 
(1) FEDERAL SHARE.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
subparagraph (B), the Federal share of the cost 
of a project carried out using a grant under 
this section shall not exceed 80 percent of the 
total project cost. 
(B) WAIVER.—The Secretary may increase 
the Federal share requirement under subpara-
graph (A) to up to 100 percent for a project 
carried out using a grant under this section by 
a governmental entity if such entity— 
(i) submits a written application to 
the Secretary requesting an increase in the 
Federal share; and
(ii) demonstrates that the additional 
assistance is necessary to facilitate the ac-
ceptance and full use of a grant under this 
section, such as alleviating economic hard-
ship, meeting additional workforce needs, 
or such other uses that the Secretary de-
termines to be appropriate. 
(2) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this section— 
(A) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2023; and 
(B) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2024. 
SEC. 3. DRONE EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE TRAINING 
GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) AUTHORITY.—The Secretary of Transportation 
shall establish a drone education and training grant pro-
gram to make grants to educational institutions for work-
force training for eligible small unmanned aircraft system 
technology. 
(b) USE OF GRANT AMOUNTS.—Amounts from a 
grant under this section shall be used in furtherance of 
activities authorized under sections 631 and 632 of the 
FAA Reauthorization Act 2018 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note). 
(c) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a grant 
under this section, an educational institution shall submit
an application to the Secretary at such time, in such form, 
and containing such information as the Secretary may re-
quire. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this sec-
tion— 
(1) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2023; and 
(2) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2024. 
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) CRITICAL
INFRASTRUCTURE.—The term 
‘‘critical infrastructure’’ has the meaning given such 
term in section 1016(e) of the Critical Infrastruc-
tures Protection Act of 2001 (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)). 
(2) CRITICAL
INFRASTRUCTURE
PROJECT.— 
The term ‘‘critical infrastructure project’’ means a 
project for the inspection, operation, maintenance, 
repair, modernization, or construction of an element 
of critical infrastructure, including mitigating envi-
ronmental hazards to such infrastructure. 
(3) COVERED
FOREIGN
ENTITY.—The term 
‘‘covered foreign entity’’ means an entity— 
(A) included on the Consolidated Screening 
List or Entity List as designated by the Sec-
retary of Commerce;
(B) domiciled in the People’s Republic of 
China or the Russian Federation; 
(C) subject to influence or control by the 
government of the People’s Republic of China 
or by the Russian Federation; or 
(D) is a subsidiary or affiliate of an entity 
described in subparagraphs (A) through (C). 
(4) EDUCATIONAL
INSTITUTION.—The term 
‘‘educational institution’’ means an institution of 
higher education (as defined in section 101 of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) 
that participates in a program authorized under sec-
tions 631 and 632 of the FAA Reauthorization Act 
of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note). 
(5) 
ELEMENT
OF
CRITICAL
INFRASTRUC-
TURE.—The term ‘‘element of critical infrastruc-
ture’’ means a critical infrastructure facility or 
asset, including public bridges, tunnels, roads, high-
ways, dams, electric grid, water infrastructure, com-
munication systems, pipelines, or other related facili-
ties or assets, as defined by the Secretary. 
(6) ELIGIBLE
SMALL
UNMANNED
AIRCRAFT 
SYSTEM.—The term ‘‘eligible small unmanned air-
craft system’’ means a small unmanned aircraft sys-
tem manufactured or assembled by a company that
is domiciled in the United States and is not a cov-
ered foreign entity. 
(7) GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY.—The term ‘‘gov-
ernmental entity’’ means— 
(A) a State, the District of Columbia, the 
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a territory of 
the United States, or a political subdivision 
thereof; 
(B) a unit of local government; 
(C) a Tribal Government; 
(D) a metropolitan planning organization; 
or 
(E) a combination of the entities described 
in subparagraphs (A) through (D). 
(8) SMALL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT; UNMANNED 
AIRCRAFT; 
UNMANNED
AIRCRAFT
SYSTEM.—The 
terms ‘‘small unmanned aircraft’’, ‘‘unmanned air-
craft’’, and ‘‘unmanned aircraft system’’ have the 
meanings given such terms in section 44801 of title 
49, United States Code. 
Passed the House of Representatives September 13, 
2022. 
Attest: 
Clerk.
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5315 
AN ACT 
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to estab-
lish in the Department of Transportation a drone 
infrastructure inspection grant program and a 
drone education and training grant program, and 
for other purposes.