§319. Unmanned system program and autonomous control and computer vision technology project

(a) Unmanned System Program.-Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall establish, under the control of the Commandant, an unmanned system program for the use by the Coast Guard of land-based, cutter-based, and aircraft-based unmanned systems for the purpose of increasing effectiveness and efficiency of mission execution.

(b) Autonomous Control and Computer Vision Technology Project.-

(1) In general.-The Commandant shall conduct a project to retrofit 2 or more existing Coast Guard small boats deployed at operational units with-

(A) commercially available autonomous control and computer vision technology; and

(B) such sensors and methods of communication as are necessary to control, and technology to assist in conducting, search and rescue, surveillance, and interdiction missions.

(2) Data collection.-As part of the project required under paragraph (1), the Commandant shall collect and evaluate field-collected operational data from the retrofit described in such paragraph to inform future requirements.

(3) Briefing.-Not later than 180 days after the date on which the project required under paragraph (1) is completed, the Commandant shall provide to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a briefing on the project that includes an evaluation of the data collected from the project.

(c) Unmanned System Defined.-In this section, the term "unmanned system" means-

(1) an unmanned aircraft system (as such term is defined in section 44801 of title 49);

(2) an unmanned marine surface system; and

(3) an unmanned marine subsurface system.

(Added Pub. L. 115–282, title III, §304(a), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4244 ; amended Pub. L. 116–283, div. G, title LVXXXIV [LXXXIV], §8413(a), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4725 ; Pub. L. 117–263, div. K, title CXII, §11225(a), title CXVIII, §11803(a), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 4024 , 4163.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The date of enactment of this section, referred to in subsec. (a), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 117–263, which was approved Dec. 23, 2022.

Amendments

2022-Pub. L. 117–263, §11225(a), amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section related to land-based unmanned aircraft system program.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 117–263, §11803(a), which directed substitution of "section 44801 of title 49" for "section 331 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note)", could not be executed because of the intervening general amendment of this section by Pub. L. 117–263, §11225(a). See above.

2021-Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 116–283 added subsec. (c).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Unmanned Aircraft Systems Testing

Pub. L. 116–283, div. G, title LVXXXIV [LXXXIV], §8412, Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4724 , provided that:

"(a) Training Area.-The Commandant [of the Coast Guard] shall carry out and update, as appropriate, a program for the use of one or more training areas to facilitate the use of unmanned aircraft systems and small unmanned aircraft to support missions of the Coast Guard.

"(b) Designation of Area.-

"(1) In general.-Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Jan. 1, 2021], the Commandant shall, as part of the program under subsection (a), designate an area for the training, testing, and development of unmanned aircraft systems and small unmanned aircraft.

"(2) Considerations.-In designating a training area under paragraph (1), the Commandant shall-

"(A) ensure that such training area has or receives all necessary Federal Aviation Administration flight authorization; and

"(B) take into consideration all of the following attributes of the training area:

"(i) Direct over-water maritime access from the site.

"(ii) The availability of existing Coast Guard support facilities, including pier and dock space.

"(iii) Proximity to existing and available offshore Warning Area airspace for test and training.

"(iv) Existing facilities and infrastructure to support unmanned aircraft system-augmented, and small unmanned aircraft-augmented, training, evaluations, and exercises.

"(v) Existing facilities with a proven track record of supporting unmanned aircraft systems and small unmanned aircraft systems flight operations.

"(c) Definitions.-In this section-

"(1) the term 'existing' means as of the date of enactment of this Act; and

"(2) the terms 'small unmanned aircraft' and 'unmanned aircraft system' have the meanings given those terms in section 44801 of title 49, United States Code."