H.R. 6647

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6647 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6647

To provide for collaboration between NASA and the FAA relating to 
research on unmanned aircraft systems and advanced air mobility, and 
for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 11, 2025

Mr. Kean (for himself and Mr. Amo) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To provide for collaboration between NASA and the FAA relating to 
research on unmanned aircraft systems and advanced air mobility, 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.

This Act may be cited as the ``Drone Safety Enhancement Act''.

SEC. 2. UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM AND ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY.

(a) Finding.--Congress finds that research and development related 
to autonomous aviation is vital to ensure United States competitiveness 
as the National Airspace System evolves from trajectory-based 
operations to collaborative and highly automated operations.
(b) Collaboration.--The Administrator shall, in collaboration with 
the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, the heads of 
other relevant Federal agencies, and appropriate representatives of 
academia and industry, continue its research on unmanned aircraft 
systems and advanced air mobility, including research related to UTM 
and autonomous capabilities, as practicable.
(c) Briefing.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall brief the appropriate 
committees of Congress on the progress of the research under subsection 
(b).
(d) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration.
(2) Advanced air mobility.--The term ``advanced air 
mobility'' means a transportation system that is comprised of 
urban air mobility and regional air mobility using manned or 
unmanned aircraft.
(3) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term 
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(A) the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
of the House of Representatives; and
(B) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate.
(4) Regional air mobility.--The term ``regional air 
mobility'' means the movement of passengers or property by air 
between two points using an airworthy aircraft that--
(A) has advanced technologies, such as distributed 
propulsion, vertical takeoff and landing, powered lift, 
nontraditional power systems, or autonomous 
technologies;
(B) has a maximum takeoff weight of greater than 
1,320 pounds; and
(C) is not urban air mobility.
(5) Unmanned aircraft system.--The term ``unmanned aircraft 
system'' has the meaning given such term in section 44801 of 
title 49, United States Code.
(6) Urban air mobility.--The term ``urban air mobility'' 
means the movement of passengers or property by air between two 
points in different cities or two points within the same city 
using an airworthy aircraft that--
(A) has advanced technologies, such as distributed 
propulsion, vertical takeoff and landing, powered lift, 
nontraditional power systems, or autonomous 
technologies; and
(B) has a maximum takeoff weight of greater than 
1,320 pounds.
(7) UTM.--The term ``UTM'' means an unmanned aircraft 
system traffic management system or service.
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