Title 49 — TransportationRelease 119-73not60

§44813 Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Title 49 › Subtitle SUBTITLE VII— AVIATION PROGRAMS › Part A— AIR COMMERCE AND SAFETY › Subpart iii— safety › Chapter 448— UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS › § 44813

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The FAA must keep operating the Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems. The Center must do applied research and training so drones and new air vehicles can join the national airspace safely. It must bring together colleges, the FAA, other federal partners, and industry to coordinate work. The Center must also set goals to push technology, improve engineering practices, and support ongoing education. The FAA must include colleges and research institutions that offer accredited bachelor’s degrees in aeronautical sciences with paths to commercial pilot certificates and a focus on training women pilots. When validating consensus safety standards under section 44805, the FAA must, as much as possible, use the Center and testing resources such as FAA test ranges under section 44803, other test ranges and testbeds, NASA, and the William J. Hughes Technical Center.

Full Legal Text

Title 49, §44813

Transportation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall continue operation of the Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (referred to in this section as the “Center”).

(b)The Center shall carry out the following responsibilities:

(1)Conduct applied research and training on the safe and efficient integration of unmanned aircraft systems and advanced air mobility into the national airspace system.

(2)Promote and facilitate collaboration among academia, the Federal Aviation Administration, Federal agency partners, and industry stakeholders (including manufacturers, operators, service providers, standards development organizations, carriers, and suppliers), with respect to the safe and efficient integration of unmanned aircraft systems and advanced air mobility into the national airspace system.

(3)Establish goals set to advance technology, improve engineering practices, and facilitate continuing education with respect to the safe and efficient integration of unmanned aircraft systems and advanced air mobility into the national airspace system.

(c)The Administrator shall ensure the participation in the Center of institutions of higher education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) and research institutions that provide accredited bachelor’s degree programs in aeronautical sciences that provide pathways to commercial pilot certifications and that include a focus on pilot training for women aviators.

(d)The Administrator shall, in carrying out research necessary to validate consensus safety standards accepted pursuant to section 44805, to the maximum extent practicable, leverage the research and testing capacity and capabilities of—

(1)the Center;

(2)the test ranges designated under section 44803;

(3)existing Federal and non-Federal test ranges and testbeds;

(4)the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and

(5)the William J. Hughes Technical Center for Advanced Aerospace.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

49 U.S.C. § 44813

Title 49 — Transportation

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60