I 
117TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 9058 
To amend title 49, United States Code, to permit the operation of actively 
tethered unmanned aircraft systems by all first responders, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 29, 2022 
Ms. JOHNSON of Texas (for herself and Mr. NEHLS) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infra-
structure 
A BILL 
To amend title 49, United States Code, to permit the oper-
ation of actively tethered unmanned aircraft systems by 
all first responders, 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 ‘‘First Responders Aer-
ial Act of 2022’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF ACTIVELY TETHERED UNMANNED 
AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS. 
Section 44801(1) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended— 
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(1) in subparagraph (B) by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(2) in subparagraph (C) by striking the period 
at the end and inserting a semicolon; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(D) has redundant flight functionality 
which permits the unmanned aircraft compo-
nent to maintain normal flight control in the 
event that a rotor or flight mechanism fails 
during flight; and 
‘‘(E) is programed to initiate a controlled 
landing in the event of a tether separation.’’. 
SEC. 3. OPERATION OF PUBLIC ACTIVELY TETHERED UN-
MANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 44806(c) of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)(B)— 
(A) in clause (i) by striking ‘‘or’’ at the 
end; 
(B) in clause (ii) by inserting ‘‘; or’’ at the 
end; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(iii) in an emergency response situa-
tion— 
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‘‘(I) at least a 0.25 mile radius 
away from an airport, if such systems 
are not operating in the approach or 
departure flight path for a runway at 
such airport; 
‘‘(II) at least a 0.5 mile radius 
away from an airport, if such systems 
are operating in the approach or de-
parture flight path for a runway at an 
airport; or 
‘‘(III) with approval of air traffic 
control personnel for an airport if 
such systems are operating closer to 
an airport than permitted under sub-
clauses (I) and (II);’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 
‘‘(A) 
EMERGENCY
RESPONSE
SITUA-
TION.—The term ‘emergency response situa-
tion’ means any situation that requires a re-
sponse by an emergency service organization. 
‘‘(B) EMERGENCY
SERVICE
ORGANIZA-
TION.—The term ‘emergency service organiza-
tion’ means any entity, including an entity con-
tracting with a State or local government, that 
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provides emergency services or training for 
emergency service providers, including— 
‘‘(i) a fire department; 
‘‘(ii) a police department; 
‘‘(iii) a search and rescue organiza-
tion; and 
‘‘(iv) a public safety organization. 
‘‘(C) PUBLIC
ACTIVELY
TETHERED
UN-
MANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM.—The term ‘public 
actively tethered unmanned aircraft system’ 
means an actively tethered unmanned aircraft 
system that is— 
‘‘(i) a public unmanned aircraft sys-
tem; and 
‘‘(ii) operated by an emergency service 
organization.’’. 
(b) AGENCY GUIDANCE.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator 
of the Federal Aviation Administration shall issue guid-
ance on the implementation of the amendments made by 
this section. 
Æ 
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