PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Feb 8, 2016
FAA Leadership in Groundbreaking High-Tech Research and Development Act or the FLIGHT R&D Act
This bill reauthorizes Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) research and development (R&D) programs for FY2016-FY2019.
The FAA shall appoint an Associate Administrator for Research and Development.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
The FAA shall develop a plan in the event of the transition of FAA R&D activities to a non-federal entity.
The FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 is amended to revise requirements with respect to the FAA's five-year roadmap for the introduction of civil unmanned aircraft systems (drones) into the national airspace system.
The roadmap shall include, at a minimum, a description of how the FAA plans to use R&D to integrate drones into the system.
The FAA shall coordinate with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to research the collision of drones with manned aircraft.
The FAA shall establish R&D programs:
to improve the cybersecurity of civil aircraft and the system,
on civilian air traffic surveillance over oceans and other remote locations, and
in support of single-piloted cargo aircraft with remote piloting and computer piloting.
The FAA shall submit to Congress a research plan for certification and implementation of new technologies (including Next Generation) into the system.
People & committees
Rep. Knight, Stephen [R-CA-25] · R–CA
Legislative record
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Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Aug 12, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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