FAA Reauthorization Bill includes delivery drone proposal

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Bill, which was approved by the US Senate Commerce Committee yesterday (16 March), includes an amendment which instructs the FAA to create a final rule for delivery drones within the next two years. Senator John Thune, the Chairman of the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, said: “Passage of this bipartisan legislation is a win for airline passenger rights, advancing responsible drone usage, boosting the competitiveness of the aerospace industry, and making our skies safer.

Thune added: “I look forward to considering these reforms on the Senate floor and building consensus with our colleagues in the House.” (In order to be enacted, legislation has to be passed by full members’ votes in both the Senate and House of Representatives, and signed by the President.)

The bill [S2658] included 53 amendments which were agreed en bloc.

The amendment which calls for the Secretary of Transportation to issue a final rule for delivery drones was proposed by Senators Dean Heller and Maria Cantwell and it passed by a roll call vote of 18 to 4.

The amendment proposes that the FAA should establish a certificate for drone operators who want to use the machines to make deliveries – and further specifies that the certification process should consider “safety risks” and their “mitigation”.

Heller is a Senator from Nevada – which is of some significance, given that Nevada is one of the six states with congressionally mandated unmanned aerial systems (UAS) test sites.

The 300-page Reauthorization Bill also contains many other UAS/drone related sections – including one on “unmanned aircraft systems in the Arctic” – and also proposals to give the UAS test sites more autonomy and flexibility to partner with industry.