49 U.S.C. § 44804 — Unmanned aircraft in the Arctic
submitted 8 years ago by Pub. L. 115-254 to r/title-49-TRANSPORTATION · 236 words · no verdicts yet
The Transportation Secretary must plan permanent Arctic zones where drones can fly all day. These zones must allow over-water flights up to 2,000 feet high. The Secretary can sign agreements with other countries and communities to make this happen.
(a) In General. The Secretary of Transportation must build a plan and start working with relevant federal agencies and national and international communities to set up permanent areas* in the Arctic* where drones can fly 24 hours a day for research and commercial use.
(b) Plan Contents. The plan must include ways to safely let drones fly beyond the operator's visual line of sight.
(c) Requirements. Each permanent area must allow over-water flights from the surface up to at least 2,000 feet, with routes in and out from chosen coastal launch sites.
(d) Agreements. To carry out the plan, the Secretary may sign agreements with relevant national and international communities.
(e) Aircraft Approval. (1) Unless (2) applies, within 1 year after an agreement needed for this section takes effect, the Secretary must work with national and international communities to set up a process for approving drone use in the Arctic permanent areas, regardless of whether the drone counts as public, civil, or a model aircraft. (2) The Secretary may use an existing process to satisfy (1) instead of building a new one.
The Secretary of Transportation shall develop a plan and initiate a process to work with relevant Federal agencies and national and international communities to designate permanent areas* in the Arctic* where unmanned aircraft* may operate 24 hours per day for research and commercial purposes.
The plan under subsection (a) shall include the development of processes to facilitate the safe operation of unmanned aircraft beyond the visual line of sight.
Each permanent area designated under subsection (a) shall enable over-water flights from the surface to at least 2,000 feet in altitude, with ingress and egress routes from selected coastal launch sites.
To implement the plan under subsection (a), the Secretary may enter into an agreement with relevant national and international communities.
Subject to paragraph (2), not later than 1 year after the entry into force of an agreement necessary to effectuate the purposes of this section, the Secretary shall work with relevant national and international communities to establish and implement a process for approving the use of a unmanned aircraft in the designated permanent areas in the Arctic without regard to whether the unmanned aircraft is used as a public aircraft, a civil aircraft, or a model aircraft.
The Secretary may implement an existing process to meet the requirements under paragraph (1).
Source credit: (Added Pub. L. 115–254, div. B, title III, § 344(a), Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3290; amended Pub. L. 118–63, title IX, § 902(a), May 16, 2024, 138 Stat. 1341.)
- 2018Enacted · Pub. L. 115-254 · 132 Stat. 3290
- 2024Amended · Pub. L. 118-63 · 138 Stat. 1341
A history note hasn’t been published yet. The record shows enactment by Pub. L. 115-254 on 2018-10-05.
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