IB 
Union Calendar No. 499 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5040 
[Report No. 116–606, Part I] 
To direct the Director of the Bureau of Land Management to study the 
effects of drone incursions on wildfire suppression, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 12, 2019 
Mr. CURTIS (for himself and Mr. HUFFMAN) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addi-
tion to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently de-
termined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
DECEMBER 2, 2020 
Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources with an amendment 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
DECEMBER 2, 2020 
Committee on Agriculture discharged; committed to the Committee of the 
Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on November 12, 2019] 
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A BILL 
To direct the Director of the Bureau of Land Management 
to study the effects of drone incursions on wildfire sup-
pression, and for other purposes. 
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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 ‘‘Aerial Incursion Reper-
cussion Safety Act of 2020’’ or the ‘‘AIR Safety Act of 
2020’’. 
SEC. 2. STUDY ON EFFECTS OF DRONE INCURSIONS ON 
WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION. 
(a) STUDY REQUIRED.—The Director of the Bureau 
of Land Management, in consultation with the Chief of the 
Forest Service and the National Association of State For-
esters, shall conduct a study on the effects of drone incur-
sions on the suppression of wildfires with respect to lands 
managed by the Department of the Interior or the Depart-
ment of Agriculture. 
(b) STUDY CONTENTS.—In conducting the study re-
quired under subsection (a), the Director shall— 
(1) determine, for each of the five most recently 
completed calendar years, the number of occurrences 
in which a drone incursion interfered with wildfire 
suppression and the effect of each such occurrence 
on— 
(A) the length of time required to achieve 
complete suppression; 
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(B) the effectiveness of aerial firefighting re-
sponses; and 
(C) the amounts expended by the Federal 
Government; and 
(2) evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of 
various actions to prevent drone incursions, includ-
ing— 
(A) the use of reasonable force to disable, 
damage, or destroy a drone; 
(B) the seizure of a drone, including seizure 
with a net device; and 
(C) the dissemination of education mate-
rials relating to the effects of drone incursions on 
wildfire suppression. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 18 months after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Director shall submit to 
the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Re-
sources of the Senate a report on the findings of the study 
required under subsection (a) and any recommendations of 
the Director relating to such findings. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) DRONE.—The term ‘‘drone’’ means an un-
manned aircraft system owned by a private indi-
vidual or entity. 
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(2) DRONE INCURSION.—The term ‘‘drone incur-
sion’’ means the operation of a drone within any air-
space for which the Administrator of the Federal 
Aviation Administration has issued a temporary 
flight restriction because of a wildfire. 
(3) WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION.—The term ‘‘wild-
fire suppression’’ has the meaning given such term in 
section 46320(d) of title 49, United States Code. 
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Union Calendar No. 499 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5040 
[Report No. 116–606, Part I] 
A BILL 
To direct the Director of the Bureau of Land Man-
agement to study the effects of drone incursions 
on wildfire suppression, and for other purposes. 
DECEMBER 2, 2020 
Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources with 
an amendment 
DECEMBER 2, 2020 
Committee on Agriculture discharged; committed to the 
Committee of the Whole House on the State of the 
Union and ordered to be printed 
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04:30 Dec 04, 2020
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