SEC. 221.

Requirement to establish test and training corridors for small unmanned aircraft systems and associated capabilities

DIVISION A · TITLE II: RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST, AND EVALUATION · SUBTITLE B: Program Requirements, Restrictions, and Limitations

Source
SECTION TEXT · SEC. 221.

(a) In general

The Secretary of Defense shall establish or designate, and operate, one or more test and training corridors for small unmanned aircraft systems, counter-unmanned aircraft system platforms, and associated capabilities within the national airspace system.

(b) Facilities

The Secretary of Defense may construct new facilities, or use existing facilities available to the Department of Defense, to support one or more test and training corridors established or designated under subsection (a) that collectively address each of the functions described in subsection (c).

(c) Functions

The Secretary of Defense shall ensure that any test and training corridor established or designated under subsection (a) enables the research, development, testing, and evaluation of, and training for members of the Armed Forces on—

(1)

small unmanned aircraft systems and associated autonomy software, kinetic and nonkinetic payloads, sensors, communications, and navigation technology;

(2)

kinetic and nonkinetic counter small-unmanned aircraft system capabilities, including high power microwave, high energy laser, and electronic warfare capabilities, and any requisite autonomy software, sensors, and command and control capabilities;

(3)

small to medium caliber counter unmanned aircraft systems ammunition and weapon systems, low collateral damage weapons and munitions, and drone-versus-drone capabilities;

(4)

the acceleration of the integration of modular payloads onto multiple unmanned aircraft systems and counter unmanned aircraft systems and platforms;

(5)

the reduction in time-to-field for lethal and non-lethal drone-enabled munitions and munition payload capabilities; and

(6)

standardization of payload-to-platform interfaces.

(d) Site selection

In establishing or designating one or more test and training corridors under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Director of the Test Resource Management Center and the Secretaries of the military departments, shall—

(1)

identify potential locations within the national airspace system that would be conducive to conducting testing, evaluation, and training activities with respect to small unmanned aircraft systems and counter-small unmanned aircraft capabilities, with prioritization of sites that best support the test and training corridor functions described in subsection (c);

(2)

assess whether existing test and evaluation facilities, including Government-owned and non-Government owned facilities, could be used to meet current and future requirements with respect to such testing, evaluation and training;

(3)

identify any additional resources required to establish or designate, and operate the corridor, including military construction costs and personnel and manning costs;

(4)

identify any sensors and capabilities needed to adequately simulate operationally realistic environments in the corridor, including environments with denied or degraded—

(A)

communications;

(B)

electromagnetic spectrum; and

(C)

global positioning system;

(5)

identify any interagency, legal, regulatory, or policy impediments to carrying out testing, evaluation, and training activities with respect to small unmanned aircraft systems and counter-small unmanned aircraft capabilities within the national airspace system, including any impediments to the use of—

(A)

electronic warfare;

(B)

directed energy (such as high-powered microwave and high energy lasers);

(C)

GPS jamming and spoofing;

(D)

spectrum enabled and cellular-network enabled systems and capabilities; and

(E)

other relevant capabilities;

(6)

consult with interagency partners to develop recommendations for—

(A)

addressing any impediments identified under paragraph (4); and

(B)

ensuring the safety of testing and training activities conducted in the national airspace system; and

(7)

consider diverse geographic regions across the United States.

(e) Notification to Congress

Not later than 90 days after establishing or designating a test and training corridor under subsection (a), the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a written notification that describes—

(1)

the location of the corridor;

(2)

any funding, personnel, or other resources required to support the corridor; and

(3)

any agreements with other Federal agencies that may be required to safely operate the corridor in the national airspace system.