CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 1540, NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT 
                      FOR FISCAL YEAR 2012

                  (H. Rept. 112-329)

[...]

SEC. 1074. REPORT ON INTEGRATION OF UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS
INTO THE NATIONAL AIRSPACE SYSTEM.

(a) REPORT REQUIRED.--Not later than 90 days after the date
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall, in consultation
with the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration
and on behalf of the UAS Executive Committee, submit to
the appropriate committees of Congress a report setting forth the following:
	(1) A description and assessment of the rate of progress in
integrating unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace
system.
	(2) An assessment of the potential for one or more pilot program
or programs on such integration at certain test ranges to
increase that rate of progress.
(b) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS DEFINED.--In this
section, the term "appropriate committees of Congress" means--
	(1) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and the Committee on
Appropriations of the Senate; and
	(2) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure, the Committee on Science,
Space, and Technology, and the Committee on Appropriations
of the House of Representatives.

[...]

SEC. 1097. UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS AND NATIONAL AIRSPACE.

(a) ESTABLISHMENT.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation
Administration shall establish a program to integrate unmanned
aircraft systems into the national airspace system at six test ranges.
(b) PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.--In establishing the program
under subsection (a), the Administrator shall--
	(1) safely designate nonexclusionary airspace for integrated
manned and unmanned flight operations in the national airspace
system;
	(2) develop certification standards and air traffic requirements
for unmanned flight operations at test ranges;
	(3) coordinate with and leverage the resources of the Department
of Defense and the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration;
	(4) address both civil and public unmanned aircraft systems;
	(5) ensure that the program is coordinated with the Next
Generation Air Transportation System; and
	(6) provide for verification of the safety of unmanned aircraft
systems and related navigation procedures before integration
into the national airspace system.
(c) LOCATIONS.--In determining the location of a test range for
the program under subsection (a), the Administrator shall--
	(1) take into consideration geographic and climatic diversity;
	(2) take into consideration the location of ground infrastructure
and research needs; and
	(3) consult with the Department of Defense and the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration.
(d) TEST RANGE OPERATION.-- A project at a test range shall
be operational not later than 180 days after the date on which the
project is established.
(e) REPORT.--Not later than 90 days after the date of completing
each of the pilot projects, the Administrator shall submit to
the appropriate congressional committees a report setting forth the
Administrator's findings and conclusions concerning the projects
that includes a description and assessment of the progress being
made in establishing special use airspace to fill the immediate need
of the Department of Defense to develop detection techniques for
small unmanned aircraft systems and to validate sensor integration
and operation of unmanned aircraft systems.
(f) DURATION.--The program under subsection (a) shall terminate
on the date that is five years after the date of the enactment
of this Act.
(g) DEFINITION.--In this section:
	(1) The term "appropriate congressional committees"
means--
	(A) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee
on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the Committee
on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives;
and
	(B) the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the
Senate.
	(2) The term "test range" means a defined geographic area
where research and development are conducted.

[...]

Report on integration of unmanned aerial systems into the national
airspace system (sec. 1074)

The Senate amendment contained a provision (sec. 1078) that
would require the Secretary of Defense to submit a report describing
and assessing: (1) the rate of progress in integrating unmanned
aircraft systems into the national airspace system; and (2) the potential
for one or more pilot program or programs on such integration
at certain test ranges to increase that rate of progress.

The House bill contained no similar provision.

The House recedes.

[...]

Unmanned aerial systems and national airspace (sec. 1097)

The House bill contained a provision (sec. 1098) that would require
the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to
establish a program to integrate unmanned aircraft systems into
the national airspace system at six test ranges.

The Senate amendment contained no similar provision.

The Senate recedes with an amendment that would require
that, for any project established by the Administrator under this
authority, the Administrator ensures that the project is operational
not later than 180 days after the date on which the project is established.

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