2023 FAA REAUTHORIZATION BILL
By Tyler Dobbs, Senior Director of Government Affairs | tylerd@modelaircraft.org
AT THE TIME OF THIS WRITING, the House had officially released its 2023 FAA Reauthorization Bill and, soon after, the Senate’s 2023 Reauthorization Bill was released. Both bills provide solutions to some of the issues that our recreational community currently faces, which are outlined below; however, we are continuing to work with members of Congress on amendments that would further loosen restrictions.
We are early in the process as we work toward the final bill, and determine when changes to the proposed language will occur. There are still many months of work ahead of us as we continue to remove restrictions on the hobby. We will update our members along the way.
House Bill
- Includes a process to fly above 400 feet in Class G airspace.
- Better clarifies large model aircraft operations in Class G airspace and includes a process for operations above 400 feet.
- Updates educational provision to allow elementary and secondary schools to fly under recreational rules.
- Changes the term “sanctioned events” to “CBO-sponsored operations.”
- Requires the FAA to work with CBOs to develop a process to approve altitude requests above the UAS Facility Map in controlled airspace.
- Requires the FAA to prioritize and adjudicate FRIA [FAA-Recognized Identification Areas] requests at fixed sites.
- Requires the FAA to determine if a network base solution can satisfy the Remote ID rule.
- Mandates rulemaking for beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) commercial operations.
- Include a provision for Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Management (UTM) development and testing.
- Creates the Office of Innovation to manage the continued modernization of the National Airspace System.
- Provides $1 million a year for Know Before You Fly from 2024 through 2028.
Senate Bill
- Includes a process to fly above 400 feet in Class G airspace.
- Better clarifies large model aircraft operations in Class G airspace and includes a process for operations above 400 feet.
- Provides $1 million a year for Know Before You Fly from 2024 through 2028.
- Changes the term “sanctioned events” to “CBO-sponsored operations.”
- Uses the word “drone” in place of UAS (definition remains the same from 2018).
- Requires that a categorical exclusion to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) be developed for low-impact operations.
- Requires the FAA to develop UTM procedures specifically for BVLOS operations.
- Creates the Airspace Innovation Office to manage the continued modernization of the National Airspace System.
- Updates educational provision to allow elementary and secondary schools to fly under recreational rules.
