A bill to improve provisions relating to certification and flight standards for military remotely piloted aerial systems in the National Airspace System.

SA 32. Mr. ENSIGN (for himself, Mr. Conrad, and Mr. Hoeven) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 223, to modernize the air traffic control system, improve the safety, reliability, and availability of transportation by air in the United States, provide modernization of the air traffic control system, reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

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(3) establishes a process to develop--

(A) air traffic requirements for all unmanned aerial systems at the test sites; and

(B) certification and flight standards for nonmilitary unmanned aerial systems at the test sites;

(4) dedicates funding for unmanned aerial systems research and development relating to--

(A) air traffic requirements; and

(B) certification and flight standards for nonmilitary unmanned aerial systems in the National Airspace System;

(5) encourages leveraging and coordination of such research and development activities with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Department of Defense;

(6) uniquely addresses the requirements of military and nonmilitary unmanned aerial system operations;

(7) ensures the unmanned aircraft systems integration plan is incorporated in the Administration's NextGen Air Transportation System implementation plan; and

(8) provides for integration into the National Airspace System of safety standards and navigation procedures validated--

(A) under the pilot project created pursuant to paragraph (1); or (B) through other related research and development activities carried out pursuant to paragraph (4).

(b) Test Site Criteria.--The Administrator shall take into consideration geographical and climate diversity in determining where the test sites to be established under the pilot project required by subsection (a)(1) are to be located.

(c) Certification and Flight Standards for Military Unmanned Aerial Systems.--The Secretary of Defense shall establish a process to develop certification and flight standards for military unmanned aerial systems at the test sites referred to in subsection (a)(1).