I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4686 
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to expand Beyond Visual Line 
of Sight operations for unmanned aircraft systems, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 23, 2025 
Mrs. KIGGANS of Virginia (for herself, Mr. FINSTAD, Mr. WITTMAN, Mr. 
MCCORMICK, Mr. FINE, Mr. SHREVE, and Mr. CRENSHAW) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to expand Beyond 
Visual Line of Sight operations for unmanned aircraft 
systems, 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 ‘‘Local Innovation for 
Flight Technologies Act of 2025’’ or the ‘‘LIFT Act of 
2025’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
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(1) 
APPROPRIATE
COMMITTEES
OF
CON-
GRESS.—The term ‘‘appropriate committees of Con-
gress’’ has the meaning given the term in section 
44801 of title 49, United States Code. 
(2) UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM.—The term 
‘‘unmanned aircraft system’’ has the meaning given 
the term in section 44801 of title 49, United States 
Code. 
SEC. 3. EXPANDING UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS OPER-
ATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transportation 
shall— 
(1) not later than 30 days after the date of en-
actment of this Act, issue a proposed rule enabling 
routine Beyond Visual Line of Sight (hereinafter re-
ferred to as ‘‘BVLOS’’) operations for unmanned 
aircraft systems; and 
(2) not later than 6 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, issue a final rule based on the 
proposed rulemaking issued under paragraph (1). 
(b) SAFETY METRICS.—The Secretary of Transpor-
tation shall— 
(1) not later than 30 days after the date of en-
actment of this Act, establish metrics for assessing 
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the performance and safety of BVLOS operations of 
unmanned aircraft systems; and 
(2) not later than 180 days of the date of en-
actment of this Act, identify and describe any addi-
tional regulatory barriers and challenges to such 
BVLOS implementation and submit to the Director 
of the Office of Science and Technology Policy rec-
ommendations for— 
(A) addressing the barriers and challenges 
expeditiously; and 
(B) potential regulation or legislative ac-
tion. 
SEC. 4. EXAMINATION OF APPLICABLE INTERNATIONAL RE-
QUIREMENTS. 
The Secretary of Transportation shall— 
(1) explore options to ensure that unmanned 
aircraft systems operating over the high seas within 
flight informational regions for which the United 
States is responsible for operational control may op-
erate without being subject to the requirements ap-
plicable to manned aircraft engaging in international 
navigation as referenced in the Convention on Inter-
national Civil Aviation; 
(2) identify potential barriers for the operation 
described in paragraph (1); and 
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(3) submit to the appropriate committees of 
Congress— 
(A) a report on the findings under para-
graphs (1) and (2); and 
(B) appropriate legislative recommenda-
tions necessary to enable such operation. 
SEC. 5. USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN WAIVER DE-
TERMINATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transpor-
tation shall initiate the deployment of artificial intelligence 
tools to assist in and expedite the review of unmanned air-
craft system waiver applications under part 107 of title 
14, Code of Federal Regulations. 
(b) CAPABILITY
OF
ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE 
TOOLS.—The artificial intelligence tools described in sub-
section (a) shall— 
(1) support performance- and risk-based evalua-
tion of proposed operations; 
(2) identify materially similar precedents and 
recommend consistent mitigation measures; 
(3) assist the Administrator of the Federal 
Aviation Administration in identifying categories of 
unmanned aircraft system operations with sufficient 
safety data or recurring approval patterns that may 
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warrant further rulemaking to eliminate the need for 
individualized waivers; and 
(4) be used in accordance with guidance on 
Federal use of artificial intelligence, as detailed in 
Office of Management and Budget Memorandum M– 
25–21. 
(c) ADDITIONAL WAIVER REVIEW.—In conducting 
the deployment of artificial intelligence tools required 
under subsection (a), the Secretary of Transportation 
shall examine the extent to which such artificial intel-
ligence tools could be used to review exemption petitions 
for applicants seeking to operate pursuant to section 
44807 of title 49, United States Code. 
SEC. 6. ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ELECTRIC VERTICAL TAKE-
OFF AND LANDING PILOT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transportation, 
in coordination with the Director of the Office of Science 
and Technology Policy, shall establish the electric Vertical 
Takeoff and Landing (hereinafter referred to as 
‘‘eVTOL’’) integration pilot program to provide grants to 
State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments to carry 
out projects to accelerate the deployment of safe eVTOL 
operations in the United States. 
(b) REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall issue a public request for proposals for the pro-
gram established under subsection (a) to State, 
local, Tribal, and territorial governments. 
(2) SUBMISSION
REQUIREMENTS.—Such pro-
posals shall be submitted not later than 90 days 
after the request is issued under subsection (a) and 
include a private sector partner with demonstrated 
experience in eVTOL aircraft development, manufac-
turing, and operations. 
(c) SELECTION OF PROJECTS.—Not later than 180 
days after the request is issued under subsection (a), the 
Secretary may select eligible pilot projects that propose 
to begin eVTOL operations not later than 90 days after 
the date on which any agreement for a pilot project is es-
tablished. Selection criteria shall include— 
(1) the use of eVTOL aircraft and technologies 
developed or offered by a United States-based entity; 
(2) overall representation of economic and geo-
graphic operations and proposed models of public- 
private partnership; and 
(3) overall representation of the operations to 
be conducted, including advanced air mobility, med-
ical response, cargo transport, and rural access. 
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(d) PROJECT AGREEMENTS.— 
(1) AGREEMENT
CONTENTS.—The Secretary 
shall execute agreements with applicants selected 
under subsection (c) that contain— 
(A) project goals; 
(B) regulatory needs; 
(C) timelines; 
(D) information sharing and data ex-
change mechanisms; and 
(E) responsibilities. 
(e) REPORTING.— 
(1) IMPLEMENTATION REPORT.—Not later than 
180 days after the selection of pilot program partici-
pants under subsection (c), the Secretary shall sub-
mit to the Director of the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy and the appropriate committees 
of Congress an initial implementation report con-
taining a summary of early-stage planning, inter-
agency coordination, and any immediate regulatory 
or legislative challenges identified. 
(2) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date on which the Secretary submits the 
initial implementation report under paragraph (1), 
and annually thereafter until the date specified in 
subsection (f), the Secretary shall submit to the Di-
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rector and the appropriate committees of Congress 
a report that includes— 
(A) the progress of the pilot program; 
(B) any evaluation of program goals and 
outcomes; 
(C) recommendations for the permanent 
integration of eVTOL operations into the na-
tional airspace; and 
(D) any proposed future initiatives to 
maintain United States leadership in eVTOL 
flight. 
(f) SUNSET.—The Secretary shall cease to provide 
grants under the pilot program established under this sec-
tion on the date that is 3 years after the date the first 
pilot project becomes operational, unless the Secretary de-
termines that an extension is warranted in the national 
interest. 
(g) INFORMATION USE
AND SHARING.—The Sec-
retary shall— 
(1) use the information and experience yielded 
by the pilot program to inform the development of 
regulations, initiatives, and plans to enable safe 
eVTOL operations; and 
(2) as appropriate, share such information with 
the Secretary of Defense, the Attorney General, the 
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Secretary of Homeland Security, and the heads of 
other relevant agencies. 
SEC. 7. PRIORITIZATION OF UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYS-
TEMS 
MANUFACTURED 
IN 
THE 
UNITED 
STATES. 
The Secretary of Transportation shall prioritize the 
integration of unmanned aircraft systems manufactured in 
the United States into the national airspace system over 
unmanned aircraft systems manufactured outside of the 
United States to the maximum extent permitted by law. 
Æ 
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