H.R. 6618 · Passed House · Transportation and Public Works

Wildfire Aerial Response Safety Act

What it does

Directs the FAA to study the effects of drone incursions on wildfire suppression on public lands.
Covers drone operations in airspace under an FAA temporary flight restriction because of a wildfire on land managed by the Departments of Agriculture or the Interior.
Requires the study to count incursions that interfered with suppression over the last five years and estimate the effects of each.
Requires an evaluation of counter-drone systems to detect, mitigate, and prevent incursions and of educational materials on their effects, with a report to Congress.

Official summary

Wildfire Aerial Response Safety Act This bill directs the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to study the effects of unmanned aircraft system (i.e., drone) incursions on wildfire suppression on public lands. Specifically, the FAA must study drone operations in any airspace for which the FAA issued a temporary flight restriction because of a wildfire on land managed by the Departments of Agriculture or the Interior. Among other things, the study must determine the number of occurrences over the last five years in which a drone incursion interfered with wildfire suppression and estimate the effects of each occurrence. The study must also evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of (1) deploying counter-drone systems to detect, mitigate, and prevent drone incursions during wildfire suppression operations; and (2) disseminating educational materials related to the effects of the incursions on wildfire suppression operations. The FAA must submit a report to Congress on the study's findings and any related recommendations.

Latest action

Mar 25, 2026: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Committee: Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation