[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 155 (Wednesday, December 5, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7461-S7636]


        NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2013

  On Tuesday, November 4, 2012, the Senate passed S. 3254, as follows:

                                S. 3254
[...]

     SEC. 1046. INTERAGENCY COLLABORATION ON UNMANNED AIRCRAFT 
                   SYSTEMS.

       (a) Findings on Joint Department of Defense Federal 
     Aviation Administration Executive Committee on Conflict and 
     Dispute Resolution.--Section 1036(a) of the Duncan Hunter 
     National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 
     (Public Law 110-417; 122 Stat. 4596) is amended by adding at 
     the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(9) Collaboration of scientific and technical personnel 
     and sharing of technical information, test results, and 
     resources where available from the Department of Defense, the 
     Federal Aviation Administration, and the National Aeronautics 
     and Space Administration can advance an enduring relationship 
     of research capability to advance the access of unmanned 
     aircraft systems of the Department of Defense, the National 
     Aeronautics and Space Administration and other public 
     agencies to the National Airspace System.''.
       (b) Interagency Collaboration.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense shall collaborate 
     with the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration 
     and the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space 
     Administration to conduct research and seek solutions to 
     challenges associated with the safe integration of unmanned 
     aircraft systems into the National Airspace System in 
     accordance with subtitle B of title III of the FAA 
     Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (Public Law 112-95; 126 
     Stat. 72).
       (2) Activities in support of plan on access to national 
     airspace for unmanned aircraft systems.--Collaboration under 
     paragraph (1) may include research and development of 
     scientific and technical issues, equipment, and technology in 
     support of the plan to safely accelerate the integration of 
     unmanned aircraft systems as required by subtitle B of title 
     III of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012.
       (3) Nonduplicative efforts.--If the Secretary of Defense 
     determines it is in the interest of the Department of 
     Defense, the Secretary may use existing aerospace-related 
     laboratories, personnel, equipment, research radars, and 
     ground facilities of the Department of Defense to avoid 
     duplication of efforts in carrying out collaboration under 
     paragraph (1).
       (4) Reports.--

[[Page S7528]]

       (A) Requirement.--The Secretary of Defense, on behalf of 
     the UAS Executive Committee, shall annually submit to the 
     congressional defense committees, the Committee on 
     Transportation and Infrastructure, and the Committee on 
     Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
     Representatives, and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation of the Senate a report on the progress of 
     research activity of the Department of Defense, including--
       (i) progress in accomplishing the goals of the unmanned 
     aircraft systems research, development, and demonstration as 
     related to the Department of Defense Final Report to Congress 
     on Access to National Airspace for Unmanned Aircraft Systems 
     of October 2010, and any ongoing and collaborative research 
     and development programs with the Federal Aviation 
     Administration and the National Aeronautics and Space 
     Administration and
       (ii) estimates of long-term funding needs and details of 
     funds expended and allocated in the budget requests of the 
     President that support integration into the National 
     Airspace.
       (B) Termination.--The requirement to submit a report under 
     subparagraph (A) shall terminate on the date that is 5 years 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act.
       (c) UAS Executive Committee Defined.--In this section, the 
     term ``UAS Executive Committee'' means the National 
     Aeronautics and Space and Administration and the Department 
     of Defense-Federal Aviation Administration executive 
     committee described in section 1036(b) of the Duncan Hunter 
     National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 and 
     established by the Secretary of Defense and the Administrator 
     of the Federal Aviation Administration.
       (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is hereby 
     authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary 
     to carry out this section.

[...]

Senate Report 112-173

Interagency collaboration on unmanned aircraft systems (sec. 1046)

The committee recommends a provision that would: (1) amend section 1036(a) of
the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009
(Public Law 110-417) to encourage technical collaboration and sharing of
personnel, resources, and information among the Department of Defense (DOD),
the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA); (2) direct the Secretary of Defense to
collaborate with the FAA and NASA Administrators on solutions to the
challenges of unmanned aerial system (UAS) integration into the National
Airspace System (NAS); and (3) require the Secretary of Defense to provide
an annual report for a period of 5 years on the progress of research and
development for UAS NAS integration and future funding requirements.

UASs have clearly demonstrated their immense value to DOD military
capabilities in the global war on terrorism. Increasingly, UASs are
contributing to missions of other agencies and departments within the United
States. Large numbers of UASs now deployed overseas may be returned to the
United States as the conflict in Afghanistan and operations elsewhere wind
down in coming years, and new UASs are under development. Without the
ability to operate freely and routinely in the NAS, UAS development and
training--and ultimately operational capabilities--will be severely
impacted.

As the committee has noted repeatedly in previous years, DOD's leadership
belatedly realized how important and difficult UAS NAS integration would be.
While progress has been made in the last 5 years, the pace of development
must be accelerated; greater cross-agency collaboration and resource sharing
will contribute to that objective.

DOD has invested significantly in resolving the technical challenges of UAS
NAS integration, and this research and development and associated resources
should be utilized for the benefit of this government-wide initiative, where
applicable. The committee is encouraged by the relationship built between
DOD, the FAA, and NASA for coordinating research and development and
planning for this integration. The committee also recognizes the
contribution that the Joint Planning and Development Office's (JDPO) report,
`NextGen Unmanned Aircraft Systems Research, Development and Demonstration
Roadmap,' dated March 15, 2012, has made by providing a multi-agency
perspective on the technology required to enable UAS operations and
integration in the next-generation NAS. The committee supports and
encourages a deeper collaborative relationship between DOD and its JPDO
partners to expedite development of the necessary technologies and to avoid
redundant activities.