Sec. 347. Actively tethered public UAS
314 words·~1 min read·
/bill/115/hr/4/eh/section-347A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall issue such regulations as are necessary to authorize the use of certain actively tethered public unmanned aircraft system by government public safety agencies without any requirement to obtain a certificate of waiver, certificate of authorization, or other approval by the Federal Aviation Administration. The regulations issued pursuant to subsection
(a)shall establish risk-based operational conditions for operation of actively tethered public unmanned aircraft systems by government public safety agencies that recognize and accommodate the unique operational circumstances of such systems, including the requirements that the aircraft component may only be operated— within the line of sight of the operator; less than 200 feet above the ground; within class G airspace; and at least 5 statute miles from the geographic center of a tower-controller airport or airport denoted on a current aeronautical chart published by the Federal Aviation Administration, except that an actively tethered public unmanned aircraft system may be operated closer than 5 statute miles to the airport if— the operator of the actively tethered public unmanned aircraft system provides prior notice to the airport operator and receives, for a tower-controlled airport, prior approval from the air traffic control facilitate located at the airport; or the exigent circumstances of an emergency prevent the giving of notice contemplated by clause
(i)and the actively tethered public unmanned aircraft system is operated outside the flight path of any manned aircraft. The term actively tethered public unmanned aircraft system means public unmanned aircraft system in which the unmanned aircraft component— weighs 4.4 pounds or less, including payload; is physically attached to a ground station with a taut, appropriately load-rated tether that provides continuous power to the unmanned aircraft; and is capable of being controlled and retrieved by such ground station through physical manipulation of the tether.