I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3598 
To amend title 49, United States Code, to establish a pilot program for 
small, nonlethal deescalation unmanned aircraft to be used for law en-
forcement and public safety, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 23, 2025 
Mr. NEHLS (for himself, Mr. DAVIS of North Carolina, Mr. FINSTAD, Mr. 
HIGGINS of Louisiana, Ms. BOEBERT, Mr. STAUBER, Mr. MOORE of Ala-
bama, Mr. NEWHOUSE, Mr. ZINKE, Mr. WIED, and Ms. MALOY) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Trans-
portation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To amend title 49, United States Code, to establish a pilot 
program for small, nonlethal deescalation unmanned air-
craft to be used for law enforcement and public safety, 
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 ‘‘Deescalation Drone 
Pilot Program Act of 2025’’. 
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SEC. 2. SMALL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT PILOT PROGRAM 
FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PUBLIC SAFE-
TY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 448 of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘§ 44815. Small unmanned aircraft pilot program for 
law enforcement and public safety 
‘‘(a) PROHIBITION REGARDING WEAPONS.—The pro-
hibition regarding unmanned aircraft armed with dan-
gerous weapons under section 363 of the FAA Reauthor-
ization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 44802 note) is reaffirmed. 
‘‘(b) PILOT PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 months 
after the date of enactment of this section, the Ad-
ministrator of the Federal Aviation Administration 
shall establish a deescalation drone pilot program to 
review the potential use of nonlethal deescalation un-
manned aircraft by Federal, State, local, or Tribal 
law enforcement responding to an active shooter 
event. 
‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—The pilot program required 
under paragraph (1) shall— 
‘‘(A) address the process of reviewing and 
validating nonlethal weapons that may be af-
fixed to an unmanned aircraft; 
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‘‘(B) address training protocols for law en-
forcement and agents of the Administration for 
the use of nonlethal deescalation unmanned air-
craft; 
‘‘(C) address operational and safety proto-
cols for operators of nonlethal deescalation un-
manned aircraft and agencies directly over-
seeing the operation of such unmanned aircraft; 
and 
‘‘(D) assess the efficacy of nonlethal dees-
calation unmanned aircraft in indoor active 
shooter events and the safety benefits associ-
ated with increasing the safe engagement dis-
tance between a law enforcement officer and an 
active shooter. 
‘‘(3) PARTNERSHIPS.—In carrying out the pilot 
program under this subsection, the Administrator 
shall use existing partnerships with the unmanned 
aircraft system test ranges designated under section 
44803, in collaboration with Federal, State, and 
large metropolitan area law enforcement. 
‘‘(4) INTERAGENCY AVIATION AGREEMENTS.— 
The Administrator may enter into interagency avia-
tion agreements, as necessary, with the Department 
of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, 
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and State large metropolitan and rural law enforce-
ment agencies to support the pilot program under 
this subsection. 
‘‘(5) CONSULTATION.—The Administrator shall 
solicit input from, and coordinate with, relevant 
stakeholders as appropriate in carrying out the pilot 
program established under this subsection. 
‘‘(6) REPORT.—Not later than 3 months after 
the conclusion of the pilot program, the Adminis-
trator shall submit to the Committee on Transpor-
tation and Infrastructure of the House of Represent-
atives a report on the results of the pilot program 
that includes a plan outlining a proposed process 
through which a law enforcement applicant to such 
program may seek permission from the Adminis-
trator to operate nonlethal deescalation unmanned 
aircraft. 
‘‘(c) RULEMAKING.—Not later than 60 days after 
submitting the report required under subsection (b)(6), 
the Administrator shall initiate a rulemaking to create a 
process through which the Administrator may provide ap-
proval— 
‘‘(1) for Federal, State, local, or Tribal law en-
forcement to operate nonlethal deescalation un-
manned aircraft during an active shooter event; and 
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