Sec. 529. Remote towers
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Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall seek to enter into an agreement with a qualified organization to conduct a study examining the viability and feasibility of remote tower technology available on the date of enactment of this Act to accommodate existing air traffic activity at non-towered, public-use airports and airports with a visual flight rule air traffic control tower. In the study conducted under subsection (a), the qualified organization selected under such subsection shall consider and include in such study— the effectiveness and adequacy of the pilot program established under section 161 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 ( 49 U.S.C. 47104 note) in— assessing the installation, maintenance, and operational costs and benefits of remote tower technology; and establishing a clear process for the safety and operational certification of such technology; a description of actions that the Administration has undertaken to carry out such pilot program; any barriers related to the safety and operational certification of such technology; the number and type of non-towered airports in the national airspace system; the availability and development of remote tower technology; the potential to use remote tower systems to control air traffic at multiple airports and from a single physical location, similar to a terminal radar approach control facility; staffing flexibility to support seasonal staffing of remote towers; safety factors related to the potential need for such remote tower technology; the potential to use remote tower systems to surveil for unmanned aircraft, in conjunction with unmanned aircraft system traffic management systems, to enhance air traffic management of manned air traffic; factors related to the demand for remote tower technology; an examination of remote tower use in other countries; projected costs associated with installing and maintain remote tower technology at a single airport; and recommendations regarding the most cost-effective approach to provide air traffic control services at non-towered airports in the national airspace system.
In carrying out the study under subsection (a), the qualified organization selected under such subsection shall— seek coordination with the Air Traffic Organization and other offices of the Administration; and seek the participation of representatives of— the exclusive bargaining representatives of air traffic controllers certified under section 7111 of title 5, United States Code; manufacturers of remote towers; airport operators; and other stakeholders that the Administrator determines appropriate.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report detailing the results of the study under subsection (a). Not later than 1 year after the completion of the study required under subsection (a), the Administrator shall establish a process for the certification of system design and operational approval of remote towers for use at public-use airports.
In carrying out subsection (b), the Administrator shall consult with the following: The exclusive bargaining representative of the air traffic controllers certified under section 7111 of title 5, United States Code. Manufacturers of remote towers. Non-towered airport operators. In developing the certification process required under subsection (b), the Administrator shall— establish requirements for the system design and operational approval of remote towers, including— sensor and camera visual requirements; datalink latency requirements; and visual presentation design requirements for monitors used to display sensor and camera feeds; establish tower-closure standards for contingency operations and procedures for remote tower failures and malfunctions; and consider the use of— ground– and space–based telecommunications infrastructure; and any other wireless telecommunications infrastructure that may enable the operation of a remote tower.
In developing the operational approval process required under this subsection, the Administrator shall— determine the appropriate number of air traffic controllers necessary to staff a remote tower for safe air traffic control operations at the respective airport based on the existing or projected air traffic activity at the airport; use a safety risk management panel process to address any safety issues with respect to the remote tower; if the remote tower is intended to be installed at a non-towered airport, assess the safety benefits of the remote tower against the lack of an existing tower; and establish, to the satisfaction of the Administrator and using performance-based criteria, to the extent appropriate, published in advance, the level of safety necessary for the operation of the remote tower at the airport.
An airport operator seeking to install or construct a certified remote tower shall submit to the Administrator an application in such form and containing such information as the Administrator may require. In carrying out this section, the Administrator shall— identify air traffic control information and data that assists the Administrator in categorically certifying remote towers at different types of airports; implement processes necessary to collect the information and data identified in subparagraph (A); and develop criteria from the information and data identified in subparagraph
(A)to assess remote towers for widespread use at categories of public-use airports. With respect to applications submitted as required by paragraph (4), the Administrator shall prioritize— airports that do not have a permanent air traffic control tower at the time of application; airports that would provide small and rural community air service; or airports that have been newly accepted as of the date of enactment of this Act into the Contract Tower Program. Not later than 180 days after receiving the report required under subsection (a), and annually thereafter through fiscal year 2028, the Administrator shall brief the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate on the status of the activities required under this section. In this section: The term air traffic activity means the number of takeoffs, landings, and simulated approaches of an airport and the time of which such takeoffs, landings, and simulated approaches occur. The term Contract Tower Program has the meaning given such term in section 47124(e) of title 49, United States Code. The term qualified organization means an independent non-profit organization that recommends solutions to public policy challenges through objective analysis. The term remote tower has the meaning given such term in section 161(a)(9) of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 ( 49 U.S.C. 47104 note).
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U.S. Code