H.R. 10304 changes a section of federal aviation law (49 U.S.C. 44805) to require manufacturers of small unmanned aircraft systems (small drones) to give the first operator a written safety statement when the drone is activated for the first time. The operator must electronically acknowledge that they have read and understand the statement.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must write and keep rules about what must be in those safety statements. Required topics include laws and rules that apply to drone operations (including references to section 44809), temporary flight restrictions and other airspace limits, approved ways to check whether a planned drone flight is legal, safety recommendations for protecting people and property, possible consequences for unsafe or unlawful operation (including enforcement actions), and the date the statement was created or last changed. The FAA must publish an example safety statement within 120 days of the law and keep that example up to date, but the FAA cannot force manufacturers to use the example form.
The bill also requires the FAA to review and, if needed, revise the required contents and the example safety statement within 18 months after enactment and then every year. Finally, the bill repeals section 2203 of the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016 (49 U.S.C. 44801 note).
No publicly available information on costs, budgetary impacts, or how much it would cost the FAA or manufacturers to implement these requirements.
The bill's stated purpose is to revise small unmanned aircraft system safety standards. Supporters present the change as a way to ensure new drone operators receive clear safety information and references to relevant rules, which the bill frames as promoting the safety of persons and property.
No publicly available information on opponents' views or formal objections in the bill text or metadata.