PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Mar 15, 2016
UAVs for Energy Infrastructure Act
This bill amends the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 to direct the Department of Transportation to establish a process by which a covered person may operate an unmanned aircraft system to conduct the following activities beyond the visual line of sight of the individual operating the system without any restriction on the time of the operation:
activities for which compliance with current law can be accomplished by the use of manned aircraft, including activities to ensure compliance with federal or state regulatory, permit, or other requirements (including surveys for permits for construction or maintenance of pipelines) and activities relating to ensuring compliance with federal requirements for the transportation of natural gas, other gas, or hazardous substances by pipeline;
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
activities to inspect, repair, or respond to critical infrastructure, including to respond to a pipeline incident, natural or man-made disaster, severe weather event, or other incident beyond the control of such person that may cause material damage to such infrastructure; and
other activities if the covered person notifies the local Flight Standards District Office before the operation of the unmanned aircraft system.
A "covered person" is a person who owns or operates a pipeline or other critical infrastructure, is an agent of such person, or is the sponsor of a pipeline project.
People & committees
Sen. Inhofe, James M. [R-OK] · R–OK
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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