National Drone and Advanced Air Mobility Initiative Act
Bill: H.R.9376 | Sponsor: Rep. Lucas, Frank D. (R-OK)
Policy area: Science, Technology, Communications

Summary:
National Drone and Advanced Air Mobility Initiative Act
This bill establishes the National Drone and Advanced Air Mobility Initiative within the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to advance relevant technologies and capabilities related to unmanned aircraft systems (or drones). It also requires the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Institutes of Standards and Technology, the Department of Energy, and various other federal agencies to support research, development, and related activities concerning drones.
Additionally, the bill (1) limits the Federal Aviation Administration's authority to regulate drones that are flown for research purposes and meet conditions to limit risks to other aircraft; and (2) prohibits the purchase or operation of a drone from China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia, except for research to improve U.S. capabilities to counter drones.

To provide for a coordinated Federal initiative to accelerate unmanned 
   aircraft systems civilian and advanced air mobility research and 
development for economic and national security, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``National Drone and 
Advanced Air Mobility Initiative Act''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Findings.
Sec. 3. Definitions.
Sec. 4. Purposes.
      TITLE I--NATIONAL DRONE AND ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY INITIATIVE

Sec. 101. National Drone and Advanced Air Mobility Initiative.
Sec. 102. National Drone and Advanced Air Mobility Initiative Office.
Sec. 103. Coordination by Interagency Committee.
Sec. 104. National Drone and Advanced Air Mobility Initiative Advisory 
                            Committee.
Sec. 105. GAO study on foreign drones.
 TITLE II--NATIONAL DRONE AND ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY RESEARCH INSTITUTES

Sec. 201. National Drone and Advanced Air Mobility Research Institutes.
  TITLE III--NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY ACTIVITIES

Sec. 301. National Institute of Standards and Technology activities.
Sec. 302. National Institute of Standards and Technology manufacturing 
                            activities.
            TITLE IV--NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION ACTIVITIES

Sec. 401. National Science Foundation activities.
   TITLE V--NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION ACTIVITIES

Sec. 501. National Aeronautics and Space Administration activities.
Sec. 502. National student unmanned aircraft systems competition 
                            program.
               TITLE VI--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ACTIVITIES

Sec. 601. Department of Energy research program.
         TITLE VII--DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ACTIVITIES

Sec. 701. Department of Homeland Security activities.
 TITLE VIII--NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION ACTIVITIES

Sec. 801. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration research and 
                            development.
          TITLE IX--FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION ACTIVITIES

Sec. 901. Federal Aviation Administration research and development.
Sec. 902. University unmanned aircraft systems centers.
Sec. 903. Allowance for the purposes of research and development.
Sec. 904. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 905. Definitions.
                          TITLE X--LIMITATION

Sec. 1001. Limitation.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) Unmanned aircraft systems have the potential to change 
        and transform sectors of the United States economy.
            (2) Current uses and applications of unmanned aircraft 
        systems include agriculture, law enforcement, public safety, 
        disaster evaluation and response, fire detection, border 
        security, weather forecasting, construction, utility 
        monitoring, and many other uses and applications.
            (3) Research, development, demonstration, testing, and 
        evaluation of counter-UAS systems activities are critical to 
        fully understand the capabilities of and threats posed by 
        unmanned aircraft systems.
            (4) Unmanned aircraft systems are subject to safety, 
        privacy, cybersecurity, and supply chain risks, particularly as 
        most unmanned aircraft systems in the United States are 
        manufactured or assembled from parts manufactured in foreign 
        countries.
            (5) National and homeland security threats posed by 
        unmanned aircraft systems include criminal and terrorist use 
        for espionage, surveillance, and intelligence gathering, 
        smuggling drugs and contraband, and platforms to deliver 
        explosives or chemicals, biological, radiological or nuclear 
        weapons, and other firearms.
            (6) The Federal Government has an important role in 
        advancing research, development, voluntary consensus standards, 
        and education activities in unmanned aircraft systems and 
        counter-UAS systems technologies through coordination and 
        collaboration between State, local, Federal, and Tribal 
        governments, academia, and the private sector.
            (7) There is a lack of voluntary consensus standards for 
        unmanned aircraft systems for academia and the public and 
        private sectors.
            (8) The United States needs to invest in domestic 
        manufacturing and secure supply chains of unmanned aircraft 
        systems to meet the demand by the Government and the commercial 
        sectors, to reduce reliance on foreign-made systems.
            (9) Advanced air mobility aims to transform the way people 
        and goods are transported through new capabilities and 
        applications.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act, the following definitions apply:
            (1) Advanced air mobility.--The term ``advanced air 
        mobility'' means air transportation systems that transport 
        individuals and property between points in the United States 
        using aircraft, such as remotely piloted, autonomous, or 
        vertical take-off and landing aircraft, including those powered 
        by electric or hybrid driven propulsions, in both controlled 
        and uncontrolled airspace.
            (2) Advisory committee.--The term ``Advisory Committee'' 
        means the National Drone and Advanced Air Mobility Initiative 
        Advisory Committee established under section 104(a).
            (3) Counter-UAS system.--The term ``counter-UAS system'' 
        has the meaning given such term in section 44801(5) of title 
        49, United States Code.
            (4) Initiative.--The term ``Initiative'' means the National 
        Drone and Advanced Air Mobility Initiative established under 
        section 101(a).
            (5) Initiative office.--The term ``Initiative Office'' 
        means the National Drone and Advanced Air Mobility Initiative 
        Office established under section 102(a).
            (6) Institute.--The term ``Institute'' means a Drone and 
        Advanced Air Mobility Research Institute described in section 
        201(b).
            (7) Interagency committee.--The terms ``Interagency 
        Committee'' means the interagency committee established under 
        section 103(a).
            (8) National laboratory.--The term ``National Laboratory'' 
        has the meaning given such term in section 2 of the Energy 
        Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 15801).
            (9) Unmanned aircraft system.--The term ``unmanned aircraft 
        system'' has the meaning given such term in section 44801(12) 
        of title 49, United States Code.

SEC. 4. PURPOSES.

    The purpose of this Act is to ensure United States leadership in 
unmanned aircraft systems by--
            (1) supporting research, development, demonstration, and 
        testing of unmanned aircraft systems in order to--
                    (A) lead in secure and next generation unmanned 
                aircraft systems, including counter-UAS systems;
                    (B) promote further development of facilities and 
                centers available for unmanned aircraft systems 
                research, testing, and education;
                    (C) stimulate research on and promote more rapid 
                development of unmanned aircraft systems;
                    (D) promote domestic manufacturing of unmanned 
                aircraft systems;
                    (E) mitigate supply chain risks;
                    (F) mitigate risks to public safety and national 
                and homeland security;
                    (G) prepare the present and future United States 
                workforce for the integration of unmanned aircraft 
                systems across sectors of the economy;
                    (H) promote the development and adoption of 
                curriculum and research opportunities for unmanned 
                aircraft systems;
                    (I) enable the advanced air mobility systems 
                ecosystem;
                    (J) enhance and accelerate the integration of 
                unmanned aircraft systems into the National Airspace 
                System;
                    (K) improve safety and sustainability of ground 
                transportation;
                    (L) address basic research knowledge gaps;
                    (M) maximize the benefits of unmanned aircraft 
                systems;
                    (N) increase and improve environmental observations 
                and monitoring; and
                    (O) establish a robust data management strategy for 
                scientific data collected by unmanned systems;
            (2) improving the interagency planning and coordination of 
        Federal research and development of unmanned aircraft systems 
        and maximizing the effectiveness of the Federal Government's 
        unmanned aircraft systems research and development programs;
            (3) promoting research and development collaboration among 
        State, local, Tribal, and Federal Governments, National 
        Laboratories, industry, and universities;
            (4) promoting the development of voluntary consensus 
        standards for unmanned aircraft systems; and
            (5) supporting development of an advanced air mobility 
        ecosystem in the United States.

      TITLE I--NATIONAL DRONE AND ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY INITIATIVE

SEC. 101. NATIONAL DRONE AND ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY INITIATIVE.

    (a) Establishment.--The President shall establish and implement an 
initiative to be known as the ``National Drone and Advanced Air 
Mobility Initiative''.
    (b) Initiative Activities.--In carrying out the Initiative, the 
President shall, acting through the Initiative Office, the Interagency 
Committee, and agency heads as the President considers appropriate, 
carry out activities that include the following:
            (1) Sustained, consistent, and coordinated support for next 
        generation unmanned aircraft systems and counter-UAS systems 
        research and development through grants, cooperative 
        agreements, and testbeds.
            (2) Support to enable advanced air mobility.
            (3) Support for the development of voluntary consensus 
        standards and best practices for the development and use of 
        unmanned aircraft systems.
            (4) Support for education and training activities at all 
        levels to prepare the United States workforce to use and 
        interact with unmanned aircraft systems.
            (5) Support partnerships to leverage knowledge and 
        resources from industry, State, local, Tribal, and Federal 
        Governments, National Laboratories, Federal Aviation 
        Administration-designated Unmanned Aircraft Systems Test Sites, 
        academic institutions, and others education to advance 
        activities under the Initiative.
            (6) Interagency planning and coordination of Federal 
        unmanned aircraft systems research, development, demonstration, 
        standards engagement, and other activities under the 
        Initiative.
            (7) Leverage of existing Federal investments to advance the 
        objectives of the Initiative.
            (8) Promote hardware inoperability, open-source systems, 
        and standards-driven hardware.

SEC. 102. NATIONAL DRONE AND ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY INITIATIVE OFFICE.

    (a) In General.--The Director of the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy shall establish or designate, and appoint a director 
of, an office to be known as the ``National Drone and Advanced Air 
Mobility Initiative Office'' to carry out the responsibilities 
described in subsection (b) with respect to the Initiative. The 
Initiative Office shall have sufficient staff to carry out such 
responsibilities, including staff detailed from the Federal departments 
and agencies described in section 103(c).
    (b) Responsibilities.--The Director of the Initiative Office 
shall--
            (1) provide technical and administrative support to--
                    (A) the Interagency Committee; and
                    (B) the Advisory Committee;
            (2) serve as the point of contact on Federal civilian 
        unmanned aircraft systems activities for Government 
        organizations, academia, industry, professional societies, 
        State, local, Tribal, and Federal Governments, and other 
        stakeholders to exchange technical and programmatic 
        information;
            (3) conduct public outreach, including dissemination of 
        findings and recommendations of the Advisory Committee, as 
        appropriate;
            (4) promote access to and early application of 
        technologies, innovations, and expertise derived from 
        Initiative activities to agency missions and systems across the 
        Federal Government, and to United States industry; and
            (5) establish a robust data management strategy that 
        ensures digital access and machine-readability; that promotes 
        findability, interoperability, analysis- and decision-readiness 
        and reusability; and ensures applicable scientific data are 
        managed for wide use by Federal, State, Tribal, and local 
        governments, academia, and the public.
    (c) Funding.--The Director of the Office of Science and Technology 
Policy shall develop an estimate of the funds necessary to carry out 
the activities of the Initiative, and submit such estimate to Congress 
not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act. The Director 
shall update this estimate each fiscal year.
    (d) Coordination.--In carrying out the Initiative Office, the 
Director shall coordinate with the National Artificial Intelligence 
Initiative Office and the Advanced Air Mobility Working Group to avoid 
duplication of research and other activities to ensure that the 
activities carried out by the Initiative Office are complementary to 
those being undertaken by other interagency efforts.

SEC. 103. COORDINATION BY INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE.

    (a) Establishment.--The Director of the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy, acting through the National Science and Technology 
Council, shall establish or designate an Interagency Committee to 
coordinate Federal programs and activities in support of the 
Initiative.
    (b) Co-Chairs.--The Interagency Committee shall be co-chaired by 
the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and, on a 
rotating basis, a representative from the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology, the National Science Foundation, the Federal 
Aviation Administration, the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration, or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 
as selected by the Director of the Office of Science and Technology 
Policy.
    (c) Agency Participation.--The Committee shall include--
            (1) the National Institute of Standards and Technology;
            (2) the National Science Foundation;
            (3) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration;
            (4) the Department of Homeland Security;
            (5) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration;
            (6) the Department of Energy;
            (7) the Federal Aviation Administration;
            (8) the Department of Defense;
            (9) the Office of Management and Budget;
            (10) the Office of the Director of National Intelligence;
            (11) the Office of Science and Technology Policy;
            (12) the General Services Administration;
            (13) the Department of Justice;
            (14) the Department of Agriculture;
            (15) the Department of the Interior;
            (16) the Federal Communications Commission; and
            (17) any other Federal agency considered appropriate by the 
        President.
    (d) Coordination.--The Interagency Committee shall coordinate with 
the National Security Council and other authorized agency coordinating 
bodies on the assessment of risks posed by the existing Federal 
unmanned aircraft systems fleet and outlining potential steps to 
mitigate these risks.
    (e) Responsibilities.--The Interagency Committee shall--
            (1) provide for interagency coordination of Federal 
        unmanned aircraft systems research, development, and 
        demonstration activities, development of voluntary consensus 
        standards and guidelines for research, development, testing, 
        and adoption of unmanned aircraft systems, scientific data 
        management and education and training activities and programs 
        of Federal departments and agencies undertaken pursuant to the 
        Initiative;
            (2) not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment 
        of this Act, develop a strategic plan for unmanned aircraft 
        systems (to be updated not less than every 3 years thereafter) 
        that--
                    (A) establishes goals, priorities, and metrics for 
                guiding and evaluating the Initiative's activities; and
                    (B) describes how the agencies carrying out the 
                Initiative will--
                            (i) determine and prioritize areas of 
                        unmanned aircraft systems and counter-UAS 
                        systems research, development, and 
                        demonstration requiring Federal Government 
                        leadership and investment;
                            (ii) support long-term funding for unmanned 
                        aircraft systems research, development, 
                        demonstration, education and public outreach 
                        activities, and existing Federal Aviation 
                        Administration-designated Unmanned Aircraft 
                        Systems Test Site facilities;
                            (iii) support research and other activities 
                        on national security, safety, societal, 
                        economic, legal, workforce, and other 
                        appropriate societal issues related unmanned 
                        aircraft systems;
                            (iv) provide or facilitate access to the 
                        necessary facilities, including existing 
                        Federal Aviation Administration-designated 
                        Unmanned Aircraft Systems Test Sites, for 
                        unmanned aircraft systems research, 
                        development, testing, and demonstration;
                            (v) reduce barriers to transferring 
                        unmanned aircraft systems from the laboratory 
                        into application for the benefit of society and 
                        United States competitiveness;
                            (vi) support the development of an advanced 
                        air mobility ecosystem; and
                            (vii) in consultation with the Council of 
                        Economic Advisers, measure and track the 
                        contributions of unmanned aircraft systems to 
                        United States economic growth and other 
                        societal indicators;
            (3) propose an annually coordinated interagency budget for 
        the Initiative to the Office of Management and Budget that is 
        intended to ensure that the balance of funding across the 
        Initiative is sufficient to meet the goals and priorities 
        established for the Initiative; and
            (4) in carrying out this section, take into consideration 
        the recommendations of the Advisory Committee, existing reports 
        on related topics, and the views of academic, State, industry, 
        and other appropriate groups.
    (f) Report.--For each fiscal year beginning with fiscal year 2023, 
not later than 90 days after submission of the President's annual 
budget request for such fiscal year, the Interagency Committee shall 
prepare and submit to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate a report that includes--
            (1) a summarized budget in support of the Initiative for 
        such fiscal year and the preceding fiscal year, including a 
        disaggregation of spending for each Federal agency 
        participating in the Initiative; and
            (2) an assessment of how Federal agencies are implementing 
        the plan described in subsection (e)(2), and a description of 
        those efforts.

SEC. 104. NATIONAL DRONE AND ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY INITIATIVE ADVISORY 
              COMMITTEE.

    (a) In General.--The President shall establish or designate a 
National Drone and Advanced Air Mobility Initiative Advisory Committee.
    (b) Qualifications.--The Advisory Committee established by the 
President under subsection (a) shall consist of members from industry, 
academic institutions, State and local governmental organizations, and 
Federal laboratories, including representatives from underserved 
communities. The President shall appoint members to the Advisory 
Committee who are qualified to provide advice and information on 
unmanned aircraft systems research, development, demonstrations, 
education, technology transfer, commercial application, or national 
security and economic concerns.
    (c) Membership Consideration.--In selecting Advisory Committee 
members, the President may seek and give consideration to 
recommendations from the Congress, industry, the scientific community 
(including the National Academies, scientific professional societies, 
and academia), the defense community, and other appropriate 
organizations.
    (d) Duties.--The Advisory Committee shall advise the President and 
the Initiative Office on matters related to the Initiative, including 
recommendations related to--
            (1) the current state of United States competitiveness and 
        leadership in unmanned aircraft systems, including the scope 
        and scale of United States investments in unmanned aircraft 
        systems research and development;
            (2) trends and developments in unmanned aircraft systems 
        technology, including barriers to adoption and use of unmanned 
        aircraft systems;
            (3) progress made in implementing the Initiative;
            (4) the management, coordination, and activities of the 
        Initiative;
            (5) whether the strategic plan developed or updated by the 
        Interagency Committee established under section 103(e)(2) is 
        helping to maintain United States leadership in unmanned 
        aircraft systems;
            (6) data management strategies to ensure wide use of the 
        scientific data collected while protecting personally 
        identifiable information; and
            (7) whether national security, safety, societal, economic, 
        legal, and workforce concerns are adequately addressed by the 
        Initiative.
    (e) Reports.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, and not less frequently than once every 3 years 
thereafter, the Advisory Committee shall submit to the President, the 
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
Representatives, and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate, a report on the Advisory Committee's 
findings and recommendations under subsection (d).
    (f) Consultation.--The Advisory Committee shall consult with the 
Federal Aviation Administration Advanced Aviation Advisory Committee to 
ensure consistency and avoid duplication of effort.
    (g) Travel Expenses of Non-Federal Members.--Non-Federal members of 
the Advisory Committee, while attending meetings of the Advisory 
Committee or while otherwise serving at the request of the head of the 
Advisory Committee away from their homes or regular places of business, 
may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
subsistence, as authorized by section 5703 of title 5, United States 
Code, for individuals in the Government serving without pay. Nothing in 
this subsection shall be construed to prohibit members of the Advisory 
Committee who are officers or employees of the United States from being 
allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in 
accordance with existing law.
    (h) Exemption.--The Advisory Committee shall be exempt from section 
14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.).

SEC. 105. GAO STUDY ON FOREIGN DRONES.

    (a) Study.--The Comptroller General shall conduct a study on the 
use of foreign-made unmanned aircraft systems in the Federal Government 
unmanned aircraft fleet.
    (b) Elements.--The study under subsection (a) shall include the 
following:
            (1) A review of policies and practices of the Federal 
        Government for the procurement and operation of unmanned 
        aircraft systems manufactured, assembled, use components 
        manufactured in or software developed by a covered foreign 
        entity on the list maintained pursuant to subsection (d).
            (2) An assessment of the following:
                    (A) The physical safety, privacy, cybersecurity, 
                and supply chain risks associated with these 
                technologies.
                    (B) The operation of these technologies across the 
                Federal Government.
                    (C) The trustworthiness and resilience of these 
                technologies.
                    (D) The availability of unmanned aircraft systems 
                from domestic sources for government use.
    (c) GAO Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall issue a report to 
Congress containing all findings and determinations made in carrying 
out the study required under subsection (a).

 TITLE II--NATIONAL DRONE AND ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY RESEARCH INSTITUTES

SEC. 201. NATIONAL DRONE AND ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY RESEARCH INSTITUTES.

    (a) In General.--As part of the Initiative, the Administrator of 
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration shall establish a 
program to award financial assistance for the planning, establishment, 
and support of a network of Institutes (as described in subsection 
(b)(2)) in accordance with this section.
    (b) Financial Assistance To Establish and Support National Drone 
and Advanced Air Mobility Research Institutes.--
            (1) In general.--Under the Initiative, the Director of the 
        National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Director of 
        the National Science Foundation, the Administrator of the 
        National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and any other 
        agency head may award financial assistance, including jointly 
        with other agencies, to an eligible entity, or consortia 
        thereof, as determined by an agency head, to establish and 
        support an Institute.
            (2) Drone and advanced air mobility institutes.--An 
        Institute described in this subsection is an unmanned aircraft 
        systems research institute that--
                    (A) may focus on--
                            (i) a particular economic or social sector, 
                        including education, manufacturing, 
                        agriculture, security, energy, environment, and 
                        public safety, and includes a component that 
                        addresses the ethical, societal, safety, and 
                        security implications relevant to the 
                        application of unmanned aircraft systems in 
                        that sector; or
                            (ii) a cross-cutting challenge for 
                        research, development, testing, or use of 
                        unmanned aircraft systems;
                    (B) requires partnership among public and private 
                organizations, including, as appropriate, Federal 
                agencies, academic institutions, nonprofit research 
                organizations, Federal laboratories, State, local, and 
                Tribal governments, industry and others (or consortia 
                thereof);
                    (C) has the potential to create an innovation 
                ecosystem, or enhance existing ecosystems, to translate 
                Institute research into applications and products, as 
                appropriate to the topic of each Institute;
                    (D) supports and coordinates interdisciplinary 
                research and development across multiple institutions 
                and organizations involved in unmanned aircraft systems 
                research and related disciplines, which may include 
                physics, engineering, mathematical sciences, computer 
                and information science, robotics, material science, 
                cybersecurity, and technology ethics;
                    (E) supports interdisciplinary education activities 
                at all levels, including curriculum development, 
                research experiences, and faculty professional 
                development across two-year, undergraduates, masters, 
                and doctoral level programs;
                    (F) establishes a robust data management strategy 
                that ensures digital access and machine-readability; 
                that promotes findability, interoperability, analysis- 
                and decision-readiness and reusability; and ensures 
                applicable scientific data are managed for wide use by 
                Federal, State, Tribal, and local governments, academia 
                and the public; and
                    (G) supports workforce development in unmanned 
                aircraft systems related disciplines in the United 
                States, including broadening participation of 
                underrepresented communities.
            (3) Use of funds.--Financial assistance awarded under 
        paragraph (1) may be used by an Institute for--
                    (A) managing and making available to researchers 
                accessible, curated, standardized, secure, and privacy 
                protected data sets from the public and private sectors 
                for the purposes of training and testing unmanned 
                aircraft systems and for research and development using 
                unmanned aircraft systems;
                    (B) developing and managing testbeds, including 
                Federal Aviation Administration-designated Unmanned 
                Aircraft Systems Test Sites, for unmanned aircraft 
                systems, including sector-specific test beds, designed 
                to enable users to evaluate unmanned aircraft systems 
                prior to deployment;
                    (C) conducting research and education activities 
                involving unmanned aircraft systems to solve challenges 
                with economic, scientific, and national security 
                implications;
                    (D) conducting research and development on unmanned 
                aircraft systems platform development and innovation;
                    (E) providing or brokering access to computing 
                resources, networking, and data facilities for unmanned 
                aircraft systems research and development relevant to 
                the Institute's research goals;
                    (F) providing technical assistance to users, 
                including software engineering support, for unmanned 
                aircraft systems research and development relevant to 
                the Institute's research goals;
                    (G) supporting the purchase of unmanned aircraft 
                systems software;
                    (H) engaging in outreach and engagement to broaden 
                participation in unmanned aircraft systems research, 
                development and workforce;
                    (I) supporting artificial intelligence and machine 
                learning research related to unmanned aircraft systems; 
                and
                    (J) such other activities that an agency head whose 
                agency's missions contribute to or are affected by 
                unmanned aircraft systems determines is appropriate to 
                fulfill the agency's missions.
            (4) Duration.--
                    (A) Initial periods.--An award of financial 
                assistance under paragraph (1) shall be for an initial 
                period of up to 5 years, subject to Office of 
                Management and Budget uniform guidance for Federal 
                assistance.
                    (B) Extension.--An established Institute may apply 
                for, and the agency head may grant, extended funding 
                for periods of 5 years on a merit-reviewed basis using 
                the merit review criteria of the sponsoring agency, 
                subject to Office of Management and Budget uniform 
                guidance for Federal assistance.
            (5) Application for financial assistance.--
                    (A) In general.--A person or group of persons 
                seeking financial assistance under paragraph (1) shall 
                submit to an agency head an application at such time, 
                in such manner, and containing such information as the 
                agency head may require.
                    (B) Requirements.--An application submitted under 
                subparagraph (A) for an Institute shall, at a minimum, 
                include the following:
                            (i) A plan for the Institute to include--
                                    (I) the proposed goals and 
                                activities of the Institute;
                                    (II) a description of how the 
                                Institute will form partnerships with 
                                other research institutions, industry, 
                                nonprofits, academic institutions, and 
                                others to leverage expertise in 
                                unmanned aircraft systems and access to 
                                data;
                                    (III) a description of how the 
                                institute will support long-term and 
                                short-term education and workforce 
                                development in unmanned aircraft 
                                systems, including broadening 
                                participation of underrepresented 
                                communities; and
                                    (IV) a description of how the 
                                Institute will transition from planning 
                                into operations.
                            (ii) A description of the anticipated 
                        sources and nature of any non-Federal 
                        contributions or other Federal agency funding.
                            (iii) A data management plan that addresses 
                        the collection, use, retention, protection, 
                        dissemination, and management of data 
                        collected, consistent with the purposes of this 
                        Act.
                            (iv) A description of the anticipated long-
                        term impact of such Institute.
            (6) Competitive merit review.--In awarding financial 
        assistance under paragraph (1), the agency shall--
                    (A) use a competitive merit review process that 
                includes peer review by a diverse group of individuals 
                with relevant expertise from both the private and 
                public sectors; and
                    (B) ensure the focus areas of the Institute do not 
                substantially duplicate the efforts of any other 
                Institute.
            (7) Collaboration.--
                    (A) In general.--In awarding financial assistance 
                under paragraph (1), an agency head may collaborate 
                with Federal departments and agencies whose missions 
                contribute to or are affected by unmanned aircraft 
                systems, including the agencies outlined in section 
                103(c).
                    (B) Coordinating network.--The Administrator of the 
                National Aeronautics and Space Administration shall 
                establish a network of Institutes receiving financial 
                assistance under this subsection, to be known as the 
                ``Drone Leadership Network'', to coordinate cross-
                cutting research and other activities carried out by 
                the Institutes.
                    (C) Funding.--The head of an agency may request, 
                accept, and provide funds from other Federal 
                departments and agencies, State, United States 
                territory, local, or Tribal government agencies, 
                private sector for-profit entities, and nonprofit 
                entities, to be available to the extent provided by 
                appropriations Acts, to support an Institute's 
                activities. The head of an agency may not give any 
                special consideration to any agency or entity in return 
                for a donation.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
$5,000,000 in each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027 to carry out the 
activities authorized in section 201(a).

  TITLE III--NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY ACTIVITIES

SEC. 301. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY ACTIVITIES.

    (a) In General.--As part of the Initiative, the Director shall--
            (1) support measurement research and development of best 
        practices and voluntary consensus standards for unmanned 
        aircraft systems, including for--
                    (A) privacy, security, and cybersecurity of 
                unmanned aircraft systems;
                    (B) safety of unmanned aircraft systems;
                    (C) hardware and components designed for unmanned 
                aircraft systems;
                    (D) data management and techniques to increase the 
                usability of data for unmanned aircraft systems;
                    (E) supply chain risks for unmanned aircraft 
                systems; and
                    (F) all other areas deemed by the Director to be 
                critical to the development and deployment of unmanned 
                aircraft systems;
            (2) support one or more Institutes as described in section 
        201(a) of this Act for the purpose of advancing unmanned 
        aircraft systems;
            (3) produce curated, standardized, representative, secure, 
        and privacy protected data sets for unmanned aircraft systems 
        research, development, and use, prioritizing data for high-
        value, high-risk research;
            (4) support and strategically engage in the development of 
        voluntary consensus standards, including international 
        standards, through open, transparent, and consensus-based 
        processes;
            (5) enter into and perform such contracts, including 
        cooperative research and development arrangements and grants 
        and cooperative agreements or other transactions, as may be 
        necessary in the conduct of the work of the National Institute 
        of Standards and Technology and on such terms as the Director 
        considers appropriate, in furtherance of the purposes of this 
        Act; and
            (6) coordinate the development of voluntary and consensus 
        standards and best practices with other Federal agencies as 
        appropriate.
    (b) Data Sharing Best Practices.--Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Director shall, in collaboration 
with other public and private sector organizations, develop guidance to 
facilitate the creation of voluntary data sharing arrangements between 
industry, federally funded research centers, and Federal agencies for 
the purpose of advancing unmanned aircraft systems research and 
technologies, including options for partnership models between 
government entities, industry, universities, and nonprofits that 
incentivize each party to share the data they collected. The Director 
shall also ensure that data are archived in a manner to in order to 
promote findability, interoperability, analysis- and decision-readiness 
and reusability of historical and near real time data across Federal, 
State, Tribal, local users, including ensuring digital access and 
machine-readability.
    (c) Solicitation of Input.--In carrying out the activities under 
this subsection, the Director shall--
            (1) solicit input from university researchers, private 
        sector experts, relevant Federal agencies, Federal 
        laboratories, State, local, and Tribal governments, civil 
        society groups, and other relevant stakeholders; and
            (2) provide opportunity for public comment on guidelines 
        and best practices developed as part of the Initiative, as 
        appropriate.
    (d) Drone Research Challenges.--
            (1) Prize competition.--Pursuant to section 24 of the 
        Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 
        3719), the Director shall, subject to appropriations, carry out 
        a program to award prizes competitively to stimulate research 
        and development of innovative unmanned aircraft systems 
        technologies in order to expand upon and improve emergency 
        response operations.
            (2) Plan for emergency response operations.--Each prize 
        competition entry submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall 
        include a plan for unmanned aircraft systems implementation in 
        emergency response operations.
            (3) Prize amount.--In carrying out the program under 
        paragraph (1), the Director may award not more than a total of 
        $2,250,000 to one or more winners of the prize competition.
            (4) Report.--Not later than 60 days after the date on which 
        a prize is awarded under the prize competition, the Director 
        shall submit to the relevant committees of Congress a report 
        that describes the winning entry of the prize competition.
            (5) Consultation.--In carrying out the program under 
        subsection (a), the Director may consult with the heads of 
        relevant departments and agencies of the Federal Government.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the National Institute of Standards and Technology to 
carry out this section--
            (1) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2023;
            (2) $21,000,000 for fiscal year 2024;
            (3) $22,050,000 for fiscal year 2025;
            (4) $23,152,500 for fiscal year 2026; and
            (5) $24,310,125 for fiscal year 2027.

SEC. 302. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY MANUFACTURING 
              ACTIVITIES.

    (a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to secure the United 
States international leadership in unmanned aircraft systems by 
strengthening its industrial base through the bolstering of domestic 
supply chains and the development and adoption of innovative 
manufacturing processes.
    (b) Establishment of Unmanned Aircraft Systems Pilot Program as a 
Part of the Manufacturing Extension Partnership.--The National 
Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 271 et seq.) is 
amended by inserting after section 25B the following:

``SEC. 25C. EXPANSION AWARDS FOR UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS PILOT 
              PROGRAM.

    ``(a) Definitions.--The terms used in this section have the 
meanings given the terms in section 25.
    ``(b) Establishment.--The Director shall establish as a part of the 
Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership a pilot program of 
expansion awards among participants described in subsection (c) of this 
section for the purposes described in subsection (e) of this section.
    ``(c) Participants.--Participants receiving awards under this 
section shall be Centers, or a consortium of Centers.
    ``(d) Award Amounts.--Subject to the availability of 
appropriations, an award for a recipient under this section shall be in 
an amount equal to the sum of the following:
            ``(1) Such amount as the Director considers appropriate as 
        a minimum base funding level for each award under this section.
            ``(2) Such additional amount as the Director considers in 
        proportion to the manufacturing density of the region of the 
        recipient.
            ``(3) Such supplemental amounts as the Director considers 
        appropriate.
    ``(e) Purpose of Awards.--An award under this section shall be made 
for one or more of the following purposes:
            ``(1) To provide coordinating services on--
                    ``(A) the development of working concepts for new 
                unmanned aircraft systems products, including review 
                and design analysis;
                    ``(B) the review and optimization of current 
                unmanned aircraft systems designs and components, 
                including industrial engineering and manufacturing 
                design upgrades;
                    ``(C) rapid unmanned aircraft systems prototyping 
                services, including three-dimensional modeling;
                    ``(D) software development for unmanned aircraft 
                systems application;
                    ``(E) commercialization of new products and 
                technology to improve performance of unmanned aircraft 
                systems; and
                    ``(F) supporting existing unmanned aircraft systems 
                and components manufacturing operations and the 
                development of unmanned aircraft systems and components 
                manufacturing operations.
            ``(2) To provide services to improve the resiliency of 
        domestic unmanned aircraft system supply chains.
            ``(3) To expand unmanned aircraft systems technology 
        services to small and medium-sized manufacturers and software 
        developers, which may include--
                    ``(A) facilitating the adoption of technologies, 
                including smart manufacturing technologies and 
                practices; and
                    ``(B) establishing partnerships, for the 
                development, demonstration, and deployment of unmanned 
                aircraft systems technologies, with--
                            ``(i) National Laboratories (as defined in 
                        section 2 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 
                        U.S.C. 15801));
                            ``(ii) Federal laboratories;
                            ``(iii) Manufacturing USA institutes;
                            ``(iv) Unmanned Aircraft Systems Industry; 
                        and
                            ``(v) institutions of higher education.
    ``(f) Applications.--Applications for awards under this section 
shall be submitted in such manner, at such time, and containing such 
information as the Director shall require in consultation with the 
Manufacturing Extension Partnership Advisory Board.
    ``(g) Selection.--
            ``(1) Reviewed and merit-based.--The Director shall ensure 
        that awards under this section are reviewed and merit-based.
            ``(2) Geographic diversity.--The Director shall endeavor to 
        have broad geographic diversity among selected proposals.
            ``(3) Criteria.--The Director shall select applications 
        consistent with the purposes identified pursuant to subsection 
        (e) to receive awards that the Director determines will achieve 
        one or more of the following:
                    ``(A) Improvement of the competitiveness of 
                domestic unmanned aircraft systems industries in the 
                region in which the Center or Centers are located.
                    ``(B) Creation of jobs or training of newly hired 
                employees.
                    ``(C) Promotion of the transfer and 
                commercialization of research and technology from 
                institutions of higher education, national 
                laboratories, or other federally funded research 
                programs, and nonprofit research institutes.
                    ``(D) Any other result the Director determines will 
                advance the objective set forth in section 25(c) or 26.
    ``(h) Global Marketplace Projects.--In making an award under this 
section, the Director, in consultation with the Manufacturing Extension 
Partnership Advisory Board and the Secretary, may take into 
consideration whether an application has significant potential for 
enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium-sized United States 
manufacturers in the global marketplace for unmanned aircraft systems 
technologies.
    ``(i) Duration.--The Director shall ensure that the duration of an 
award under this section is aligned and consistent with a Center's 
cooperative agreement established in section 25(e).
    ``(j) Report.--After the completion of the pilot program under 
subsection (b) and not later than October 1, 2025, the Director shall 
submit to Congress a report that includes--
            ``(1) a summary description of what activities were funded 
        and the measurable outcomes of such activities;
            ``(2) a description of which types of activities under 
        paragraph (1) could be integrated into, and supported under, 
        the program under section 25;
            ``(3) a description of which types of activities under 
        paragraph (1) could be integrated into, and supported under, 
        the competitive awards program under section 25A; and
            ``(4) a recommendation, supported by a clear explanation, 
        as to whether the pilot program should be continued.
    ``(k) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out the pilot program under this section 
$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2025.''.
    (c) Manufacturing Extension Partnership Survey.--
            (1) Survey.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
        enactment of this Act, the Director shall carry out a survey of 
        the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Centers (referred to in 
        this section as the ``Centers'') to understand the 
        manufacturing capabilities of the United States manufacturers 
        to support a robust unmanned aircraft systems industry in the 
        United States.
            (2) Contents.--In conducting the survey required under 
        subsection (a), the Director shall solicit feedback on the 
        following:
                    (A) Familiarity and current manufacturing work by 
                small and mid-sized manufacturers on unmanned aircraft 
                systems, including components, software, sensors, or 
                other technology associated with unmanned aircraft 
                systems.
                    (B) A list of the basic manufacturing procedures 
                that can be easily converted to conduct the 
                manufacturing of unmanned aircraft systems projects.
                    (C) Potential for small and mid-sized manufacturing 
                to work with industry and academia to support the 
                manufacturers of unmanned aircraft systems prototypes.
                    (D) Potential for commercialization of ongoing 
                manufacturing development research related to unmanned 
                aircraft systems projects.
                    (E) A description of supply chain and technological 
                challenges that small and mid-sized manufacturers face 
                in building up unmanned aircraft systems capacity, and 
                the prevalence of these challenges.
                    (F) Regulatory and legal barriers faced by small 
                and mid-sized manufacturers and developers.
                    (G) Any challenges that small and mid-sized 
                manufacturers experience in recruiting skilled workers 
                familiar with unmanned aircraft systems manufacturing.
                    (H) Any other information that the Director or the 
                Board determine is appropriate.
            (3) Report.--Not later than 60 days after completing the 
        survey required under subsection (a), the Director, in 
        consultation with the Board, shall provide a report summarizing 
        the results of the survey to the Committee on Science, Space, 
        and Technology of the House of Representatives and the 
        Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
        Senate.
    (d) Manufacturing USA Program.--The Director, through the 
Manufacturing USA Program, shall prioritize research, development, and 
demonstration activities to enhance and grow the domestic manufacturing 
capacity of unmanned aircraft systems and components. Such activities 
may include--
            (1) rapid-prototyping and reproduction of unmanned aircraft 
        systems structures;
            (2) additive manufacturing to improve capabilities to 
        produce large tools, dies, and molds for unmanned aircraft 
        systems and components;
            (3) testing innovative manufacturing processes and 
        manufactured components to improve safety, endurance, and 
        quality of unmanned aircraft systems;
            (4) development of software to streamline fabrication and 
        integration of manufacturing components, such as sensors for 
        use in unmanned aircraft systems; and
            (5) any other activities that the Director considers 
        appropriate.
    (e) Definition.--In this title, the term ``Director'' means the 
Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

            TITLE IV--NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION ACTIVITIES

SEC. 401. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION ACTIVITIES.

    (a) In General.--As part of the Initiative, the Director shall 
support research and STEM education and related activities in unmanned 
aircraft systems, components, and related technologies, including 
competitive awards or grants to institutions of higher education or 
eligible nonprofit organizations (or consortia thereof).
    (b) Use of Funds.--In carrying out the activities under subsection 
(a), the Director shall--
            (1) support fundamental research on the underlying 
        technologies for unmanned aircraft systems, components and 
        related technologies, which may include--
                    (A) improving the safety and reliability of 
                operation systems;
                    (B) developing and improving autonomous control 
                systems, including real-time control and autonomous 
                decision making;
                    (C) incorporating the use of artificial 
                intelligence into systems;
                    (D) improving or developing materials for unmanned 
                aircraft systems;
                    (E) understanding safety and sustainability of 
                unmanned aircraft systems as a part of a transportation 
                system, including the impacts of unmanned aircraft 
                systems on ground transportation;
                    (F) developing and improving communications 
                systems, including multivehicle coordination and task 
                and path planning; and
                    (G) understanding the human-drone interface;
            (2) support research and development of unmanned aircraft 
        system enabled uses, which may include--
                    (A) creating new sensing tools to improve 
                understanding, prediction, and detection of severe 
                weather and natural hazards, including wildfires;
                    (B) enabling advanced air mobility;
                    (C) monitoring and surveying infrastructure;
                    (D) disaster reconnaissance, including the 
                collection of data to model and simulate disasters and 
                assist responders; and
                    (E) improving the reliable use of advanced sensing 
                systems in rural and agricultural settings;
            (3) support research on data modeling and validation of the 
        use of unmanned aircraft systems;
            (4) support research and development on security, including 
        the cybersecurity, of unmanned aerial aircraft systems;
            (5) support research on the ethical use of unmanned 
        aircraft systems, including protection of individual privacy;
            (6) support middle school and high school level STEM 
        education research and related activities related to unmanned 
        aircraft systems and related technologies, which may include--
                    (A) supporting curriculum development relating to 
                unmanned aircraft system applications, including 
                developing place-based learning curriculum, 
                particularly for students in poor, rural, and Tribal 
                communities;
                    (B) utilizing unmanned aircraft systems 
                technologies to advance the engagement of students, 
                including students in poor, rural, and Tribal 
                communities students, in STEM through providing before 
                school, after-school, out-of-school, or summer 
                activities;
                    (C) developing professional development resources 
                for STEM educators in utilizing unmanned aircraft 
                systems technologies and applications in their 
                curriculum and classrooms, including through distance-
                delivered courses;
                    (D) connecting relevant STEM curriculum to the 
                design, construction and demonstration of unmanned 
                aircraft systems; and
                    (E) designing unmanned aircraft system related 
                activities designed to help students make real-world 
                connections to STEM content and educate students on the 
                relevance and significance of STEM careers;
            (7) support undergraduate and graduate education and 
        workforce development research and related activities related 
        to unmanned aircraft systems and related technologies, which 
        may include--
                    (A) supporting curriculum development relating to 
                unmanned aircraft systems applications and 
                technologies;
                    (B) supporting hands-on research opportunities at 
                institutions of higher education, research 
                institutions, including National Labs, and industry for 
                undergraduate and graduate students relating to 
                unmanned aircraft systems applications and 
                technologies;
                    (C) facilitating participation in collegiate level 
                unmanned systems robotic competitions; and
                    (D) ensuring that students pursuing master's 
                degrees and doctoral degrees in fields relating to 
                unmanned aircraft systems are considered as applicants 
                for scholarships and graduate fellowships under the 
                Graduate Research Fellowship Program under section 10 
                of the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 
                U.S.C. 1869);
            (8) support activities to develop a skilled technical 
        workforce for supporting and operating unmanned aircraft 
        systems, which may include establishing national centers 
        focused on educating and training the skilled technical 
        workforce in unmanned aircraft system applications and 
        technologies through the Advanced Scientific and Technical 
        Education Program as authorized by the Scientific and Advanced-
        Technology Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 1862i), including by--
                    (A) expanding educational resources to address 
                current workforce demands in unmanned aircraft system 
                applications and technologies;
                    (B) developing curriculum for community and 
                technical colleges to train and upskill the skilled 
                technical workforce in unmanned aircraft system 
                applications and technologies;
                    (C) engaging the skilled technical workforce 
                community in STEM and unmanned aircraft system 
                applications and technologies; and
                    (D) in partnership with industry, employing 
                activities to increase the visibility and utility of 
                careers in unmanned aircraft applications and 
                technologies;
            (9) engage veterans and departing members of the Armed 
        Services in activities mentioned in paragraphs (7) and (8);
            (10) support one or more Institutes as described in section 
        201(a) for the purpose of advancing the field of unmanned 
        aircraft systems;
            (11) support prize competitions pursuant to section 24 of 
        the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 
        U.S.C. 3719);
            (12) establish a robust data management strategy that 
        ensures digital access and machine-readability; that promotes 
        findability, interoperability, analysis- and decision-readiness 
        and reusability; and ensures applicable scientific data are 
        managed for wide use by Federal, State, Tribal, and local 
        governments, academia and the public; and
            (13) any other activities the Director finds necessary to 
        meet the goals laid out in subsection (a).
    (c) Public-Private Partnerships.--As part of the activities under 
subsection (a), the Director shall support public-private partnerships 
to support domestic development of unmanned aircraft systems in the 
United States and address pre-competitive industry challenges.
    (d) Interagency Coordination.--In carrying out the program under 
this section, the Director shall coordinate with the heads of other 
Federal departments and agencies to avoid duplication of research and 
other activities to ensure that the activities carried out under this 
section are complementary to those being undertaken by other agencies.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the National Science Foundation to carry out this 
section--
            (1) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2023;
            (2) $52,500,000 for fiscal year 2024;
            (3) $55,125,000 for fiscal year 2025;
            (4) $57,881,775 for fiscal year 2026; and
            (5) $60,775,863 for fiscal year 2027.
    (f) Definition.--In this title, the term ``Director'' means the 
Director of the National Science Foundation.

   TITLE V--NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION ACTIVITIES

SEC. 501. NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION ACTIVITIES.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator, in consultation with the 
Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration and other Federal 
agencies, shall direct research and technological development to 
facilitate the safe integration of unmanned aircraft systems into the 
National Airspace System, including--
            (1) positioning and navigation systems;
            (2) sense and avoid capabilities;
            (3) secure data and communication links;
            (4) flight recovery systems; and
            (5) human systems integration.
    (b) Cooperative Unmanned Aircraft System Activities.--Section 31504 
of title 51, United States Code, is amended by inserting at the end the 
following: ``Operational flight data derived from these cooperative 
agreements shall be made available, in appropriate and usable formats, 
to the Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration for the 
development of regulatory standards.''.
    (c) Policy.--It is the policy of the United States Government that 
the Administration shall work with industry, the Federal Aviation 
Administration, the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland 
Security, and academia to mature and help operationalize unmanned 
aircraft system traffic management related concepts, architecture, 
services, and strategic as well as tactical deconfliction to ensure 
safe integration of unmanned aircraft systems in airspace in presence 
of other aircraft. As part of those activities, the Administration 
shall consider commercial and public good use cases, such as wildfire 
and disaster monitoring and mitigation, with a primary focus on 
enabling many simultaneous drone operations beyond visual line of 
sight.
    (d) Coordination.--The Administrator shall coordinate with the 
Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, the Director of 
the National Institutes of Standards and Technology, State, local and 
Tribal government, and industry on the development of voluntary 
consensus-based standards to facilitate the incorporation of unmanned 
aircraft systems into the National Airspace System and decrease the 
need for regulations.

SEC. 502. NATIONAL STUDENT UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS COMPETITION 
              PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator shall establish a national 
program to carry out unmanned aircraft and advanced air mobility 
systems technology competitions for students at the high school and 
undergraduate level (in this section referred to as ``competitions'') 
in which students shall compete to design, create, and demonstrate an 
unmanned aircraft system.
    (b) Competition Administration.--The Administrator shall select, on 
a merit-reviewed, competitive basis, an institution of higher education 
to administer the competitions (in this section referred to as the 
``competition administrator'').
    (c) Considerations for Selecting Competition Administrator.--In 
selecting an institution of higher education to administer the 
competition, the Administrator shall consider--
            (1) the institution of higher education's prior experience 
        in administering such competitions;
            (2) the institution of higher education's prior experience 
        in administering national STEM engagement programs;
            (3) the institution of higher education's prior experience 
        in engaging eligible institutions from diverse geographic 
        areas, including poor, rural, and Tribal communities; and
            (4) the institution of higher education's prior experience 
        in connecting STEM activities to Administration missions and 
        centers.
    (d) Competition Administrator Responsibilities.--The competition 
administrator shall be responsible for--
            (1) awarding grants to institutions of higher education or 
        nonprofit organizations (or a consortium of such institutions 
        or organization) on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis to host 
        individual competitions;
            (2) developing STEM curriculum to be utilized by the 
        competition awardees to help students make the connection to 
        the design, construction, and demonstration of the unmanned 
        aircraft or advanced air mobility systems;
            (3) developing curriculum to assist students in making 
        real-world connections to STEM content and educate students on 
        the relevance and significance of STEM careers;
            (4) ensuring awardees are supporting the activities laid 
        out in subsection (f);
            (5) conducting performance evaluations of competitions, 
        including data collection on--
                    (A) the number of students engaged; and
                    (B) geographic and institutional diversity of 
                participating schools and institutions of higher 
                education; and
            (6) any other activities the Administrator finds necessary 
        to ensure the competitions are successful.
    (e) Additional Considerations.--In awarding grants authorized in 
subsection (d), the competition administrator shall give priority to 
applications that include a partnership with that State's space grant 
program under chapter 403 of title 51, United States Code.
    (f) Permitted Activities.--In carrying out the competitions 
authorized in subsection (a), the competition administrator shall 
ensure competitions occurring at both the high school and undergraduate 
levels--
            (1) allow students to design, construct, and demonstrate an 
        unmanned aircraft or advanced air mobility system;
            (2) allow students to compete with other teams in the 
        performance of the constructed unmanned aircraft or advanced 
        air mobility system;
            (3) connect to relevant missions and Center activities of 
        the Administration;
            (4) connect relevant STEM curriculum to the design, 
        construction, and demonstration of unmanned aircraft and/or 
        advanced air mobility systems;
            (5) support activities designed to help students make real-
        world connections to STEM content and educate students on the 
        relevance and significance of STEM careers; and
            (6) are geographically dispersed in order to serve a broad 
        student population, including those in rural and underserved 
        communities.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Administrator $6,000,000 in each of fiscal years 
2023 through 2027 to carry out the activities authorized in this 
section. Of the funds authorized--
            (1) $1,000,000 per year shall be for the competition 
        administrator as authorized in subsection (b); and
            (2) $5,000,000 per year shall be awarded for grants to 
        carry out competitions as authorized by subsection (d).
    (h) Definitions.--In this title:
            (1) Administration.--The term ``Administration'' means the 
        National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
            (2) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space 
        Administration.

               TITLE VI--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY ACTIVITIES

SEC. 601. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY RESEARCH PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--As part of the Initiative, the Secretary shall 
carry out a cross-cutting research, development, and demonstration 
program to advance unmanned and counter-UAS system technologies, 
capabilities, and workforce needs and to improve the reliability of 
unmanned and counter-UAS systems implementation methods relevant to the 
mission of the Department. In carrying out this program, the Secretary 
shall coordinate across all relevant offices and activities at the 
Department, including the Office of Science, the Office of Energy 
Efficiency and Renewable Energy, the Office of Nuclear Energy, the 
Office of Fossil Energy, the Office of Electricity, the Office of 
Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response, the Advanced 
Research Projects Agency--Energy, the Office of Environmental 
Management, the Office of Environment, Health, Safety and Security, the 
National Nuclear Security Administration, the Artificial Intelligence 
Technology Office, the UAS Research and Engineering Center, and any 
other relevant office or activity as determined by the Secretary.
    (b) Program Components.--In carrying out the program under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall--
            (1) formulate goals for unmanned and counter-UAS systems 
        research activities to be supported by the Department, 
        including in the research areas under section (c);
            (2) leverage the collective body of knowledge from existing 
        unmanned and counter-UAS systems research and development 
        activities, including the work underway by the Unmanned 
        Aircraft Systems Research and Engineering Center;
            (3) provide research experiences and training for 
        undergraduate and graduate students in unmanned and counter-UAS 
        systems research and development, including in the fields of--
                    (A) artificial intelligence and machine learning;
                    (B) applied mathematics and algorithm development;
                    (C) advanced imaging, sensing, and detection 
                technologies;
                    (D) materials science and engineering; and
                    (E) advanced energy technologies and propulsion 
                approaches;
            (4) establish a robust data management strategy that 
        ensures digital access and machine-readability; that promotes 
        findability, interoperability, analysis- and decision-readiness 
        and reusability; and ensures applicable scientific data are 
        managed for wide use by Federal, State, Tribal, and local 
        governments, academia and the public; and
            (5) support one or more Institutes as described in section 
        201(a) of this Act for the purpose of advancing the fields of 
        unmanned aircraft systems and the mission of the Department.
    (c) Research Areas.--In carrying out the program under subsection 
(a), the Secretary shall award financial assistance to eligible 
entities to carry out research, development, and demonstration projects 
over a range of subject areas including--
            (1) fundamental science and technology areas, which may 
        include--
                    (A) advanced sensor technologies and processes, 
                including--
                            (i) optical capabilities, including Light 
                        Detection and Ranging, hyperspectral, 
                        thermographic, and visible imaging 
                        capabilities;
                            (ii) nonoptical electromagnetic 
                        capabilities, including radar and 
                        radiofrequency capabilities;
                            (iii) acoustic capabilities, including 
                        ultrasonic capabilities; and
                            (iv) radiation detection, gravimetric, 
                        hyperspectral or other measurement modalities;
                    (B) advanced technologies and methods for remote 
                handling, precision positioning, and navigation 
                control;
                    (C) advanced technologies for secure autonomous 
                operation, including edge computing and artificial 
                intelligence;
                    (D) power electronics and wireless charging 
                systems;
                    (E) novel materials, including lightweight and 
                radiation-resistant materials;
                    (F) scalability of unmanned aircraft systems for 
                increased payload capacity;
                    (G) technologies and processes to improve secure 
                interoperability practices, including with existing 
                satellites, constellation networks, and surface-based 
                facilities;
                    (H) strategies and technologies for integrated 
                cybersecurity considerations;
                    (I) strategies and technologies for improved 
                endurance, including lightweight long duration fuels, 
                batteries, and fuel cells;
                    (J) open architectures and advanced algorithms to 
                enable multi-sensor fusion and tracking of unmanned 
                aircraft systems; and
                    (K) swarm and cooperative drone data collection and 
                operation, and integration of drone control systems 
                with dynamic sampling and real-time digital twin 
                simulations; and
            (2) approaches for leveraging unmanned aircraft systems for 
        diverse applications, which may include--
                    (A) advanced assessment, characterization, mapping, 
                and recovery of energy resources, such as geothermal 
                energy, biofuels, and critical minerals resources;
                    (B) field testing and monitoring of energy systems, 
                such as onshore and offshore wind energy, fossil 
                energy, solar energy, marine energy, nuclear energy, 
                and hydropower systems;
                    (C) damage assessment of the electric grid and 
                energy infrastructure following physical events such as 
                wildland fires, including prescribed burns containment 
                and emissions measurements, potential health and safety 
                effects from contaminant releases and dispersals, and 
                real-time analysis of impacted assets;
                    (D) leak detection of greenhouse gases related to 
                energy production, including methane leak detection;
                    (E) agriculture and aquaculture applications;
                    (F) integrated data collection to inform and 
                enhance Department modeling capabilities, including the 
                development of climate and earth systems models;
                    (G) assistance in environmental management and 
                cleanup activities;
                    (H) assistance in Department infrastructure 
                management at National Laboratories and other relevant 
                Department sites;
                    (I) intrusion detection and facility monitoring for 
                physical security applications; and
                    (J) asset extraction of building envelope features 
                and characteristics for rapid energy modeling purposes.
    (d) Technology Transfer.--In carrying out the program under 
subsection (a), and in coordination with the Office of Technology 
Transitions, the Secretary shall support technology transfer of 
unmanned vehicle systems research by partnering with industry.
    (e) Facility Use.--In carrying out the program under subsection 
(a), the Secretary shall make available high-performance computing 
infrastructure and other relevant research facilities and test beds at 
the National Laboratories.
    (f) Interagency Coordination and Nonduplication.--In carrying out 
the program under subsection (a), the Secretary shall coordinate with 
the heads of other Federal departments and agencies to avoid 
duplication of research and other activities and to ensure that the 
activities carried out under this program are complementary to those 
currently being undertaken by other agencies.
    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Department to carry out this section--
            (1) $50,000,000 for fiscal year 2023;
            (2) $52,500,000 for fiscal year 2024;
            (3) $55,125,000 for fiscal year 2025;
            (4) $57,881,775 for fiscal year 2026; and
            (5) $60,775,863 for fiscal year 2027.
    (h) Definitions.--In this title:
            (1) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the 
        Department of Energy.
            (2) Eligible entities.--The term ``eligible entity'' 
        means--
                    (A) an institution of higher education;
                    (B) a National Laboratory;
                    (C) a State, local, territorial, or Tribal 
                government research agency;
                    (D) a nonprofit research organization;
                    (E) a private sector entity; or
                    (F) a consortium of 2 or more entities described in 
                any of subparagraphs (A) through (E).
            (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Energy.

         TITLE VII--DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ACTIVITIES

SEC. 701. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ACTIVITIES.

    (a) In General.--As part of the Initiative, the Secretary, acting 
through the Under Secretary for Science and Technology, shall--
            (1) support research, development, and testing for unmanned 
        aircraft systems and counter-UAS systems capabilities, 
        including for--
                    (A) air domain awareness and unmanned aircraft 
                systems traffic monitoring;
                    (B) privacy, security, and cybersecurity of 
                unmanned aircraft systems and counter-UAS systems 
                capabilities;
                    (C) safety of unmanned aircraft systems; and
                    (D) testing and evaluation of unmanned aircraft 
                systems and counter-UAS systems capabilities, 
                performance systems engineering, and operational 
                analysis;
            (2) coordinate with all relevant offices and programs at 
        the Department, including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure 
        Security Agency, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the 
        Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Protective 
        Service, the Transportation Security Administration, the United 
        States Coast Guard, and the United States Secret Service;
            (3) produce curated, standardized, representative, secure, 
        and privacy protected data sets for unmanned aircraft systems 
        and counter-UAS systems research, development, archiving, and 
        use, prioritizing data for high-value, high-risk research;
            (4) support one or more institutes as described in section 
        201(a) for the purpose of advancing the field of unmanned 
        aircraft systems and counter-UAS systems capabilities; and
            (5) enter into and perform such contracts, including 
        cooperative research and development arrangements and grants 
        and cooperative agreements or other transactions, as may be 
        necessary in the conduct of the work of the Department and on 
        such terms as the Secretary considers appropriate, in 
        furtherance of the purposes of this Act.
    (b) Counter-UAS Center of Excellence.--The Secretary shall 
establish a center of excellence to carry out research and development 
that advances counter-UAS systems capabilities.
            (1) Selection of host institution.--
                    (A) In general.--The Secretary shall select an 
                institution of higher education, or a consortium of 
                institutions of higher education, to host and maintain 
                the center of excellence established under this 
                subsection.
                    (B) Selection criteria.--In selecting a such an 
                institution or consortium, the Secretary shall--
                            (i) give preference to applicants with 
                        strong past performance related to counter-UAS 
                        systems research, education, and workforce 
                        development activities;
                            (ii) give preference to applicants 
                        geographically collocated within 100 miles of 
                        Federal departments or agencies that currently 
                        possess or operate extant counter-UAS system 
                        facilities;
                            (iii) give preference to applicants having 
                        proven abilities and strong research 
                        enterprises in systems engineering, radio 
                        frequency (RF) directed energy, radar and 
                        antenna research and development, atmospheric 
                        monitoring that can support of chemical, 
                        biological, radiological and nuclear detection 
                        to include trace gases and particular matter 
                        (PM), target tracking, remote sensing and the 
                        ability to leverage artificial intelligence and 
                        machine learning to support the required data 
                        analytics;
                            (iv) consider the extent to which the 
                        applicant would involve the public and private 
                        sectors; and
                            (v) consider the regional and national 
                        impacts of the applicant's proposed research 
                        and development activities.
            (2) Use of funds.--The institution of higher education or 
        consortium may use funds provided under this subsection to 
        carry out fundamental research, evaluation, education, 
        workforce development, and training efforts related to counter-
        UAS systems subject areas, including safety, privacy, security, 
        cybersecurity, detecting, identifying, monitoring, tracking, 
        disrupting and seizing control, confiscating, disabling, 
        damaging, destruction, remote sensing, forensics, testing and 
        evaluation of systems capabilities, performance, systems 
        engineering, operational analysis, and advanced technologies.
            (3) Federal share.--The Department share of a grant under 
        this subsection shall not exceed 75 percent of the costs of 
        establishing and operating the center of excellence and related 
        research activities carried out by the grant recipient.
            (4) Authorization of appropriations.--
                    (A) Fiscal year 2023.--There is authorized to be 
                appropriated to the Secretary $10,000,000 for fiscal 
                year 2023 for making awards under this subsection.
                    (B) Fiscal years 2024 through 2027.--There are 
                authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary 
                $5,000,000 in each of fiscal years 2024 through 2027 
                for making awards under this subsection.
            (5) Institution of higher education.--In this subsection, 
        the term ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning 
        given the term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 
        1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001).
    (c) Interagency Coordination.--In carrying out the activities under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall coordinate with the heads of other 
Federal departments and agencies to avoid duplication of research and 
other activities and to ensure that the activities carried out under 
this program are complimentary to those currently being undertaken by 
other agencies.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section--
            (1) $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2023;
            (2) $31,500,000 for fiscal year 2024;
            (3) $33,075,000 for fiscal year 2025;
            (4) $34,728,750 for fiscal year 2026; and
            (5) $36,465,187 for fiscal year 2027.
    (e) Definitions.--In this title:
            (1) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the 
        Department of Homeland Security.
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Homeland Security.

 TITLE VIII--NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION ACTIVITIES

SEC. 801. NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION RESEARCH AND 
              DEVELOPMENT.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator shall carry out and support 
research, development, and demonstration activities to advance unmanned 
aircraft systems and unmanned maritime systems, technologies, and 
capabilities, and to enhance the deployment of, and data collected by, 
unmanned aircraft systems and unmanned maritime systems relevant to the 
mission of the Administration, incorporate such data into operations, 
and ensure data are managed, stewarded and archived appropriately. In 
carrying out this program, the Administrator shall coordinate across 
all relevant offices and programs at the Administration, including the 
Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, National Environmental 
Satellite, Data, and Information Service, National Marine Fisheries 
Service, National Ocean Service, National Weather Service, and the 
Office of Marine and Aviation Operations.
    (b) Program Components.--In carrying out the program under 
subsection (a), the Administrator shall--
            (1) test, evaluate, and demonstrate the utility of unmanned 
        aircraft systems and unmanned maritime systems technologies for 
        the Administration;
            (2) support Administration activities and Cooperative 
        Institute projects, and support and encourage Federal and State 
        agencies, academic institutions, nongovernmental organizations, 
        industry representatives, and others to--
                    (A) accelerate the transition of unmanned systems 
                capabilities from research to operations and other uses 
                and facilitate new unmanned aircraft systems and 
                unmanned maritime systems applications within the 
                Administration;
                    (B) evaluate current observation strategies and 
                identify critical data gaps best suited for advanced 
                unmanned aircraft systems and unmanned maritime 
                systems;
                    (C) prioritize activities that collect or acquire 
                routine observations which feed forecasts and models;
                    (D) test, develop, and evaluate safe systems 
                capable of safely operating beyond visual line of 
                sight;
                    (E) collect or acquire measurements of atmospheric 
                and oceanic parameters; and
                    (F) ensure the archiving, stewardship, utility, and 
                preservation of and public accessibility to the 
                observations collected are shared with the 
                Administration;
            (3) provide and support research experiences and training 
        for undergraduate and graduate students in unmanned aircraft 
        systems and unmanned maritime systems research, development, 
        and operations relevant to the mission of the Administration, 
        and other education and training opportunities consistent with 
        the purpose of this Act;
            (4) contribute to and supplement field campaigns at the 
        Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement user 
        facility in order to incorporate unmanned aircraft systems and 
        resulting data into the development of combined observational 
        and modeling elements; and
            (5) support and conduct leading-edge research and 
        development of innovative unmanned aircraft and maritime 
        technologies and concepts to advance research areas in 
        subsection (c).
    (c) Research Areas.--In carrying out the program under subsection 
(a), the Administrator shall award financial assistance to eligible 
entities to carry out projects on the use of unmanned aircraft systems 
and unmanned maritime systems to collect environmental data and monitor 
climate impacts, including--
            (1) severe weather forecasts and damage assessments;
            (2) rapid flood mapping;
            (3) real-time hurricane data, including close-to-surface 
        and low altitude meteorological measurements;
            (4) enhanced atmospheric monitoring and sampling, including 
        physical and chemical measurements in the atmospheric boundary 
        layer;
            (5) marine mammal detection and monitoring;
            (6) near-real time harmful algal bloom measurements for 
        rapid response efforts;
            (7) coastal restoration and habitation monitoring, 
        including detection and monitoring of marine debris, oil spill, 
        and hazardous materials;
            (8) mapping, charting, and geodesy applications to support 
        safety of navigation;
            (9) wildfire observations and data to improve fire weather 
        modeling;
            (10) other areas related to science and stewardship of the 
        climate, weather, oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes; and
            (11) any other areas the Administrator deems necessary and 
        appropriate.
    (d) Priority.--In carrying out the research areas in subsection 
(c), the Administrator shall, to the maximum extent practicable, 
prioritize activities that increase the Administration's operational 
use of unmanned aircraft systems and unmanned maritime systems by 
extending the range of times, location, and conditions in which 
observations can be made at lower cost. As part of these activities, 
the Administrator may--
            (1) enter into contracts with one or more entities in the 
        commercial data sector to acquire data collected by unmanned 
        aircraft systems and unmanned maritime systems; and
            (2) leverage existing facilities, instruments, and tools, 
        including the Administration's satellites, fleet of ships, and 
        crewed aircraft.
    (e) Technology Transfer.--In carrying out the program under 
subsection (a), and in coordination with the Small Business Innovation 
Research program, the Administrator shall support technology transfer 
of unmanned aircraft systems and unmanned maritime systems research by 
partnering with Federal agencies and industry.
    (f) Coordination.--The Administrator shall coordinate the 
activities authorized in this section with the activities authorized in 
section 3 of the Commercial Engagement Through Ocean Technology Act of 
2018 (33 U.S.C. 4102) and engage with other Federal departments and 
agencies, research communities, nongovernmental organizations, and 
industry stakeholders through the interagency committee established by 
section 103.
    (g) Support of Institutes.--For the purposes of the program in 
subsection (a), the Administrator may support relevant activities at 
one or more Institutes as described in section 201(a) of this Act for 
the purpose of advancing the field of unmanned aircraft systems or 
unmanned maritime systems.
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Administration to carry out this section--
            (1) $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2023;
            (2) $15,750,000 for fiscal year 2024;
            (3) $16,537,500 for fiscal year 2025;
            (4) $17,364,375 for fiscal year 2026; and
            (5) $18,232,593 for fiscal year 2027.
    (i) Definitions.--In this title:
            (1) Administration.--The term ``Administration'' means the 
        National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
            (2) Eligible entities.--The term ``eligible entities'' 
        means--
                    (A) an institution of higher education;
                    (B) a National Laboratory;
                    (C) a NOAA Cooperative Institute;
                    (D) a State, local, territorial, or Tribal 
                government agency;
                    (E) a nonprofit organization;
                    (F) a private sector entity; or
                    (G) a consortium of 2 or more entities described in 
                subparagraphs (A) through (F).
            (3) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration.
            (4) Unmanned maritime systems.--The term ``unmanned 
        maritime systems'' has the meaning given in section 2 of the 
        Commercial Engagement Through Ocean Technology Act of 2018 (33 
        U.S.C. 4101).

          TITLE IX--FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION ACTIVITIES

SEC. 901. FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

    (a) In General.--As part of the Initiative, the Administrator, in 
coordination with the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration and other Federal agencies, shall carry out and 
support research, development, testing, and demonstration activities to 
advance unmanned aircraft systems and to facilitate the safe 
integration of unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace 
system.
    (b) Unmanned Aircraft Systems-Manned Aircraft Safety Research.--As 
part of the activities under subsection (a), the Administrator shall 
conduct comprehensive research and testing for unmanned aircraft 
systems safety, including--
            (1) collisions between unmanned aircraft systems of various 
        sizes, traveling at various speeds, and commercial jet 
        airliners of various sizes, traveling at various speeds;
            (2) collisions between unmanned aircraft systems of various 
        sizes, traveling at various speeds, and propeller planes of 
        various sizes, traveling at various speeds;
            (3) collisions between unmanned aircraft systems of various 
        sizes, traveling at various speeds, and blimps of various 
        sizes, traveling at various speeds;
            (4) collisions between unmanned aircraft systems of various 
        sizes, traveling at various speeds, and rotorcraft of various 
        sizes, traveling at various speeds; and
            (5) collisions between unmanned aircraft systems and 
        various parts of the aforementioned aircraft, including--
                    (A) windshields;
                    (B) noses;
                    (C) engines;
                    (D) radomes;
                    (E) propellers; and
                    (F) wings.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Science, 
Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report 
summarizing the costs and results of research under subsection (b).
    (d) Study.--Not later than 30 days after the enactment of this Act, 
the Administrator shall commission an independent study to--
            (1) develop parameters to conduct research and development 
        for probabilistic metrics to enable the identification of 
        hazards and the assessment of risks as necessary to make 
        determinations under chapter 44807 of title 51, United States 
        Code, that certain unmanned aircraft systems may operate safely 
        in the national airspace system; and
            (2) identify additional research needed to more effectively 
        develop and use such metrics and make such determinations.
In developing parameters for probabilistic metrics, the study conducted 
pursuant to this subsection shall take into account the utility of 
performance standards to make determinations under section 333(a) of 
the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012.
    (e) Consideration of Results.--The Administrator shall consider the 
results of the study conducted under subsection (d) when making a 
determination described in subsection (d)(1).
    (f) Study Report.--Not later than 9 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the Committee 
on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 
the results of the study conducted under subsection (d).
    (g) Probabilistic Assessment of Risks.--The Administrator shall 
conduct research and development to enable a probabilistic assessment 
of risks to inform requirements for standards for operational 
certification of public unmanned aircraft systems in the national 
airspace.
    (h) Support for Institutes.--The Administrator may support 1 or 
more institutes described in section 201(a) for the purpose of 
advancing the field of unmanned aircraft systems and supporting the 
mission of the Administration.

SEC. 902. UNIVERSITY UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS CENTERS.

    (a) Grants for Establishment and Operation.--The Administrator 
shall make grants to 1 or more institutions of higher education to 
establish and operate 1 regional university unmanned aircraft system 
center in each of the 10 Federal regions which compromise the Standards 
Federal Regional Boundary System.
    (b) Responsibilities.--The responsibilities of each unmanned 
aircraft systems center established under this section shall include 
the conduct of advanced air mobility research and research concerning 
safely integrating unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace 
system and the interpretation, publication, and dissemination of the 
results of such research. The responsibility of one such center may 
include research on detect and avoid capabilities.
    (c) Application.--Any institution of higher education interested in 
receiving a grant under this section shall submit to the Administrator 
an application in such form and containing such information as the 
Administrator may require.
    (d) Selection Criteria.--The Administrator shall select recipients 
of grants under this section on the basis of the following criteria:
            (1) The regional unmanned aircraft system center shall be 
        located in a State which is representative of the needs of the 
        Federal region for improved unmanned aircraft systems test 
        facilities.
            (2) The grant recipient shall have demonstrated research 
        and extension resources available for carrying out this 
        subsection.
            (3) The grant recipient shall have demonstrated its 
        capability to provide leadership in making national and 
        regional contributions for addressing long-range and immediate 
        unmanned aircraft systems issues.
            (4) The grant recipient should have an established unmanned 
        aircraft systems or related research program.
            (5) The grant recipient shall have a demonstrated 
        commitment to supporting ongoing unmanned aircraft systems 
        research programs.
            (6) The grant recipient shall have demonstrated ability to 
        disseminate results of unmanned aircraft systems research and 
        educational programs through a statewide or regionwide 
        continuing education program.
            (7) The Administrator shall consider the projects which the 
        grant recipient proposes to carry out under the grant.
    (e) Federal Share.--The Federal share of a grant under this section 
shall be 50 percent of the costs of establishing and operating the 
regional center and related research activities carried out by the 
grant recipient.
    (f) National Advisory Council.--
            (1) Establishment; functions.--The Administrator shall 
        establish in the Administration a national advisory council to 
        coordinate the research and training to be carried out by the 
        grant recipients, to disseminate the results of such research, 
        to act as a clearing house between such centers and the 
        unmanned aircraft systems industry, and to review and evaluate 
        programs carried out by such centers.
            (2) Members.--The national advisory council established 
        under this subsection shall be composed of the directors of the 
        unmanned aircraft systems centers and 19 other members 
        appointed by the Administrator as follows:
                    (A) 6 officers of the Federal Aviation 
                Administration, one of whom represents the Office of 
                the Administrator, one of whom represents the Unmanned 
                Aircraft Systems Integration Office, one of whom 
                represents the Office of NextGen, one of whom 
                represents the Office of Aviation Safety, one of whom 
                represents the Office of Air Traffic Organization, and 
                one of whom represents the Mike Monroney Aeronautical 
                Center.
                    (B) 5 representatives of State, local, territorial 
                or Tribal governments.
                    (C) 8 representatives of the unmanned aircraft 
                systems industry, including private industry.
            (3) Term of office; pay; chairman.--Each of the members 
        appointed by the Administrator shall serve without pay. The 
        chairman of the council shall be designated by the 
        Administrator.
            (4) Meetings.--The council shall meet at least annually and 
        at such other times as the chairman may designate.
            (5) Agency information.--Subject to subchapter II of 
        chapter 5 of title 5, United States Code, the council may 
        secure directly from any department or agency of the United 
        States information necessary to enable it to carry out this 
        subsection. Upon request from the chairman of the council, the 
        head of such department or agency shall furnish such 
        information to the council.
            (6) Termination date inapplicable.--Section 14 of the 
        Federal Advisory Committee Act shall not apply to the council.
    (g) Administration Through Office of the Administrator.--
Administrative responsibility for carrying out this section shall be in 
the Office of the Administrator.
    (h) Allocation of Funds.--The Administrator shall allocate funds 
made available to carry out this section equitably among Federal 
regions.
    (i) Technology Transfer Set-Aside.--Not less than 5 percent of the 
funds made available to carry out this section for any fiscal year 
shall be available to carry out technology transfer activities.

SEC. 903. ALLOWANCE FOR THE PURPOSES OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

    Except as necessary to support enforcement action under applicable 
provisions of law against persons operating unmanned aircraft in a 
manner that endangers the safety of the national airspace system, and 
notwithstanding any other provision of law relating to the 
incorporation of unmanned aircraft systems into Administration plans 
and policies, the Administrator may not promulgate any rule or 
regulation regarding the operation of an unmanned aircraft system--
            (1) that is flown strictly for research and development 
        use;
            (2) that is operated less than 400 feet above the ground 
        and in Class G airspace;
            (3) that is operated in a manner that does not interfere 
        with and gives way to any manned aircraft; and
            (4) with respect to which, in any case in which the 
        unmanned aircraft system is flown within 5 miles of an airport, 
        the operator of the aircraft provides the airport operator and 
        the airport air traffic control tower (when an air traffic 
        facility is located at the airport) with prior notice of the 
        operation, including by establishing a mutually agreed upon 
        operating procedure in cases where such unmanned aircraft 
        system is flown from a permanent location within 5 miles of an 
        airport.

SEC. 904. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) Federal Aviation Administration Research and Development 
Funding.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the Administration 
to carry out section 901--
            (1) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2023;
            (2) $21,000,000 for fiscal year 2024;
            (3) $22,050,000 for fiscal year 2025;
            (4) $23,152,500 for fiscal year 2026; and
            (5) $24,310,125 for fiscal year 2027.
    (b) University Unmanned Aircraft Systems Center Funding.--There are 
authorized to be appropriated to the Administration to carry out 
section 902--
            (1) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2023;
            (2) $105,000,000 for fiscal year 2024;
            (3) $110,250,000 for fiscal year 2025;
            (4) $115,762,500 for fiscal year 2026; and
            (5) $121,550,625 for fiscal year 2027.

SEC. 905. DEFINITIONS.

    In this title:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration.
            (2) Administration.--The term ``Administration'' means the 
        Federal Aviation Administration.

                          TITLE X--LIMITATION

SEC. 1001. LIMITATION.

    (a) In General.--Except as otherwise provided in this section, none 
of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act may be used for 
the purchase, acquisition, or operation of unmanned aircraft systems--
            (1) produced or assembled in, or containing components 
        produced or assembled in, a foreign country of concern; or
            (2) produced or assembled by entities owned, controlled by, 
        or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of the government 
        of, a foreign country of concern.
    (b) Exception.--The limitation in subsection (a) shall not apply to 
the acquisition of unmanned aircraft systems for the purposes of 
research and development for improving the United States counter-
unmanned aircraft systems capabilities.
    (c) Waiver.--The Secretary of Commerce may waive the limitation in 
subsection (a) if the Secretary determines, in consultation with the 
Director of National Intelligence, that such waiver is in the national 
security interest of the United States.
    (d) Report to Congress.--The Secretary of Commerce shall report the 
issuance of such a waiver to the relevant committees of jurisdiction of 
Congress not later than 30 days after issuing such waiver.
    (e) Definition.--In this section, the term ``foreign country of 
concern'' means--
            (1) a country that is a covered nation (as defined in 
        section 4872(d) of title 10 United States Code); and
            (2) any country that the Secretary of Commerce, in 
        consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Director of 
        National Intelligence, determines to be engaged in conduct that 
        is detrimental to the national security or foreign policy of 
        the United States.
                                 <all>