I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2930 
To develop a civil unmanned aircraft policy framework, a pilot program, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 16, 2017 
Mr. LEWIS of Minnesota (for himself, Ms. BROWNLEY of California, Mr. 
ROKITA, and Mr. GARAMENDI) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To develop a civil unmanned aircraft policy framework, a 
pilot 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 Innovation Act 
of 2017’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act the following definitions apply: 
(1) CIVIL
AIRCRAFT.—The term ‘‘civil air-
craft’’, with respect to an unmanned aircraft system, 
means that the unmanned aircraft is not a public 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:48 Jun 22, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2930.IH
H2930
rfrederick on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
aircraft as defined in section 40102 of title 49, 
United States Code. 
(2) LOCAL
GOVERNMENT.—The term ‘‘local 
government’’ means a unit of government that is a 
subdivision of a State, such as city, county, or par-
ish. 
(3) LOCAL OPERATION.—The terms ‘‘local oper-
ation’’ and ‘‘local in nature’’ refer to flights or por-
tions of civil unmanned aircraft that occur in air-
space— 
(A) up to 200 feet above ground level; and 
(B) the lateral boundaries of a State, local, 
or Tribal government’s jurisdiction. 
(4) SMALL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT.—The term 
‘‘small unmanned aircraft’’ has the same meaning as 
such term is defined in section 331(6) of the FAA 
Reform and Modernization Act of 2012. 
(5) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of 
the several States, the District of Columbia, and the 
territories and possessions of the United States. 
(6) TRIBAL GOVERNMENT.—The term ‘‘Tribal 
Government’’ means the governing body of an In-
dian Tribe (as defined in section 4 of the Indian 
Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act 
(25 U.S.C. 5304)). 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:48 Jun 22, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2930.IH
H2930
rfrederick on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
SEC. 3. CIVIL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT POLICY FRAMEWORK. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 6 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transpor-
tation shall, after consultation with State, local, and Trib-
al officials, and other appropriate stakeholders, publish a 
civil unmanned aircraft local operation policy framework 
in the Federal Register. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The policy framework required pur-
suant to subsection (a) shall— 
(1) provide guidelines to aid States, local, and 
Tribal governments in harmonizing and, to the de-
gree possible, standardizing reasonable time, man-
ner, and place limitations and other restrictions on 
operations of civil and small unmanned aircraft that 
are local in nature; 
(2) take into account the economic and non-eco-
nomic benefits, such as civic or educational uses, of 
small or civil unmanned aircraft operations; 
(3) provide guidelines to aid States, local, and 
Tribal governments in creating an environment that 
is hospitable to innovation and fosters the rapid in-
tegration of unmanned aircraft into the national air-
space system; and 
(4) aid States, local, and Tribal governments in 
adopting technologies, such as unmanned traffic 
management systems, that will enable notification to 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:12 Jun 24, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2930.IH
H2930
rfrederick on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
(1) Any limitation on small or civil unmanned 
aircraft should be consistent with maintaining the 
safe use of the navigable airspace and the legitimate 
interests of State, local, and Tribal governments. 
(2) Innovation and competition are best served 
by a diverse and competitive small and civil un-
manned aircraft systems industry. 
(3) Any limitation on small or civil unmanned 
aircraft should not create an unreasonable burden 
on interstate or foreign commerce. 
(4) The operation of small and civil unmanned 
aircraft systems that are local in nature have more 
in common with terrestrial transportation than tra-
ditional aviation. 
(5) As it relates to the time, manner, and place 
of unmanned aircraft local operations, and the need 
to foster innovation, States, local, and Tribal govern-
ments uniquely possess the constitutional authority, 
the resources, and the competence to discern the 
sentiments of the people and to govern accordingly. 
(6) Relying upon technology solutions, such as 
unmanned traffic management, provided by private 
industry, will effectively solve policy challenges. 
(7) State, local and Tribal officials are best po-
sitioned to make judgments and issue dynamic limi-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:48 Jun 22, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2930.IH
H2930
rfrederick on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
tations around events, including, fires, accidents and 
other first responder activity, public gatherings, 
community events, pedestrian thoroughfares, rec-
reational activities, cultural activities, heritage sites, 
schools, parks and other inherently local events and 
locations, which may justify limiting unmanned air-
craft activity that is local in nature while balancing 
the activities or events against the need for innova-
tion. 
(8) The economic and non-economic benefits, of 
small and civil unmanned aircraft operations may be 
best achieved by empowering the State, local, and 
Tribal governments to create a hospitable environ-
ment to welcome innovation. 
(9) Innovation and competition in the un-
manned aircraft industry are best served enabling 
State, local, and Tribal governments to experiment 
with a variety of approaches to policies related to 
unmanned aircraft. 
(10) The Department of Transportation shall, 
when making policy related to small or civil un-
manned aircraft systems, recognize that problems 
that are merely common to the State, local, and 
Tribal governments will not justify Federal action 
because individual State, local, and Tribal govern-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:48 Jun 22, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2930.IH
H2930
rfrederick on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
ments, acting individually or together, can effectively 
deal with such problems and may find and imple-
ment more innovation friendly policies than Federal 
agencies. 
(11) The Department shall, when making policy 
related to small or civil unmanned aircraft systems, 
provide timely information and assistance to State, 
local, and Tribal governments that will ensure col-
laboration. 
SEC. 4. PILOT PROGRAM ON FEDERAL PARTNERSHIPS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 9 months after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Trans-
portation shall enter into agreements with not less than 
20 and not more than 30 State, local, or Tribal govern-
ments to establish pilot programs under which the Sec-
retary shall provide technical assistance to such govern-
ments in regulating the operation of small and civil un-
manned aircraft systems, including through the use of the 
latest available technologies for unmanned traffic manage-
ment, notice, authorization, and situational awareness 
with respect to reasonable time, manner, and place limita-
tions and restrictions pursuant to section 3. 
(b) SELECTION.—In selecting among State, local and 
Tribal governments for purposes of establishing pilot pro-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:48 Jun 22, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2930.IH
H2930
rfrederick on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
grams under subsection (a), the Secretary shall seek to 
enter into agreements with— 
(1) governments that vary their size and in-
tended approach to regulation of small and civil un-
manned aircraft systems; 
(2) governments that demonstrate a willingness 
to partner with technology providers and small and 
civil unmanned aircraft operators; and 
(3) at least two of each of the following: State 
governments, county governments, city governments, 
and Tribal Governments. 
(c) UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS TRAFFIC MAN-
AGEMENT SYSTEM.—The Secretary shall coordinate with 
the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration to ensure that participants in pilot pro-
grams established under subsection (a) are consulted in 
the development of the unmanned aircraft systems traffic 
management system under section 2208 of the FAA Ex-
tension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016 (Public Law 
114–190, 49 U.S.C. 40101 note) and the pilot program 
under section (b) of such section. 
(d) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 18 months 
after establishment of the pilot programs required by sub-
section (a), the Secretary shall coordinate with pilot pro-
gram participants to submit to Congress, and make avail-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:12 Jun 24, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2930.IH
H2930
rfrederick on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
able to the public, a report identifying best practices for 
State, local, and Tribal governments to regulate the oper-
ation of small and civil unmanned aircraft systems and 
to collaborate with the Federal Aviation Administration 
with respect to the regulation of such systems. 
SEC. 5. PRESERVATION. 
(a) RIGHTS TO PRIVACY.—In prescribing regulations 
or standards related to civil or small unmanned aircraft 
systems, the Secretary shall not authorize the operation 
of a small or civil unmanned aircraft in airspace local in 
nature above property where there is a reasonable expecta-
tion of privacy without permission of the property owner. 
(b) CAUSES OF ACTION, CLAIMS, AND REMEDIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this section shall 
be construed to preempt, displace, or supplant any 
Federal, State, or Tribal common law rights or any 
Federal, State, or Tribal statute or common law 
right creating a remedy for civil relief, including 
those for civil damages, or a penalty for a criminal 
law. 
(2) CAUSE OF ACTIONS UPHELD.—Nothing in 
this section shall preempt or preclude any cause of 
action for personal injury, wrongful death, property 
damage, inverse condemnation, trespass, nuisance or 
other injury based on negligence, strict liability, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:48 Jun 22, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2930.IH
H2930
rfrederick on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
(1) outright bans on overflights of the entirety 
of the lateral boundaries of a State or local govern-
ment’s jurisdiction; 
(2) excessively large prohibitions on overflights 
of areas of local significance such that access to air-
space is so impeded as to make flight within the lat-
eral boundaries of a State or local government’s ju-
risdiction nearly impossible; and 
(3) a combination of restrictions intended to 
unreasonably impede or having the practical effect of 
unreasonably impeding the ability of a civil un-
manned aircraft from reaching the navigable air-
space. 
(e) RIGHT-OF-WAY.—Nothing in this section shall be 
construed to prevent an operator or pilot from operating 
a small or civil unmanned aircraft over their own property, 
right of way, easement, lands, or waters. 
SEC. 6. STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION. 
(a) JUDICIAL REVIEW.—An action taken by the Sec-
retary of Transportation under any of sections 4XXXW– 
4XXXY is subject to judicial review as provided under sec-
tion 46110 of title 49, United States Code. 
(b) CIVIL AND CRIMINAL JURISDICTION.—Nothing in 
this Act (including the amendments made by this Act) 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:12 Jun 24, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H2930.IH
H2930
rfrederick on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
may be construed to diminish or expand the civil or crimi-
nal jurisdiction of— 
(1) any Tribal Government relative to any State 
or local government; or 
(2) any State or local government relative to 
any Tribal Government. 
(c) LIMITATION.—Nothing in this Act (including the 
amendments made by this Act) may be construed to— 
(1) affect manned aircraft operations or the au-
thority of the Federal Aviation Authority (in this 
section referred to as ‘‘FAA’’) with respect to 
manned aviation; 
(2) affect the right of the FAA to take emer-
gency action, including the right to issue temporary 
flight restrictions; 
(3) affect the right of the FAA to pursue en-
forcement action against unsafe unmanned aircraft 
operators; and 
(4) affect the right of first responders to access 
airspace in the event of an emergency. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
05:48 Jun 22, 2017
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H2930.IH
H2930
rfrederick on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS