IB 
Union Calendar No. 357 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5315 
[Report No. 117–460] 
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. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 21, 2021 
Mr. STANTON (for himself and Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure 
SEPTEMBER 13, 2022 
Additional sponsors: Ms. BROWNLEY, Mr. LAWSON
of Florida, Mr. 
FITZPATRICK, Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. BACON, Ms. TITUS, 
Mr. PAYNE, Ms. DAVIDS of Kansas, Mr. MOULTON, Ms. WILSON of Flor-
ida, and Miss GONZA´LEZ-COLO´N 
SEPTEMBER 13, 2022 
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on September 21, 2021] 
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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 ‘‘Drone Infrastructure 
Inspection Grant Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DRONE INFRASTRUCTURE INSPECTION GRANT PRO-
GRAM. 
(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 commu-
nity safety, reduce carbon emissions, or meet other prior-
ities (as determined by the Secretary) related to critical in-
frastructure projects. 
(b) USE OF GRANT AMOUNTS.—A governmental entity 
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 governmental 
entity; 
(3) contract for services performed with an eligi-
ble small unmanned aircraft system in circumstances 
in which the governmental entity does not have the 
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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 un-
manned 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 con-
strued as to interfere with an agreement between a govern-
mental entity and a labor union. 
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(f) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 1 year 
after the first grant is provided under this section, the Sec-
retary shall submit to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of 
the Senate a report that evaluates the program carried out 
under this section, including— 
(1) a description of the number of grants award-
ed; 
(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 car-
ried out using a grant under this section by a 
governmental entity if such entity— 
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(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 deter-
mines 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 
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authorized under sections 631 and 632 of the FAA Reau-
thorization 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 section— 
(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 Infrastructures 
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 crit-
ical infrastructure, including mitigating environ-
mental hazards to such infrastructure. 
(3) COVERED FOREIGN ENTITY.—The term ‘‘cov-
ered foreign entity’’ means an entity— 
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