This bill directs the Secretary of Transportation, through the Federal Aviation Administration, to set up a grant program for unmanned aircraft system (UAS) pilot training. Grants may fund creation of UAS training programs (curriculum, instructional materials, instructor development), training for certified remote pilots on safety, regulations, risk management, data collection, and multi-agency mission work, purchase of UAS that meet federal safety standards, and reasonable administrative costs tied to program delivery. Eligible recipients ("covered entities") include governmental or nonprofit fire departments, emergency medical services, law enforcement agencies, state or regional public safety training academies, interagency UAS collaboratives, and certain national nonprofit public safety training organizations. Applicants must submit a comprehensive plan showing they can manage federal funds and describing administration, risk management, airspace coordination, certified personnel rosters, equipment maintenance, data/privacy protections, and legal compliance. Training must follow applicable federal regulations and may meet named standards (e.g., NWCG A-450 or S-373; ASTM F3266, F3330, F3370; NFPA 2400). The Secretary must prioritize applicants that do high-risk operations or serve underserved regions, show multi-agency coordination, follow federal and national standards, or lack current training capacity. Recipients must report at least annually on people trained, instructor certifications, deployments after training, and challenges; the Secretary must report annually to Congress on recipients, training capacity progress, and recommendations. The bill defines key terms and authorizes appropriations.
If you work for a covered entity listed in the bill, your organization could apply for grant money to build or expand UAS pilot training, certify instructors, buy UAS that meet safety rules, and cover related admin costs. Applicants must prepare and follow a detailed plan showing financial and program management and meet federal rules and listed standards. If you are not part of a covered entity, the bill does not create direct new programs for you.
The bill authorizes $10,000,000 to be appropriated for each fiscal year 2026 through 2029 to carry out the grant program. No additional cost estimates or funding details are provided in the text.
No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.