In this chapter, the following definitions apply:

The term “actively tethered unmanned aircraft system” means an unmanned aircraft system in which the unmanned aircraft component—

(A) weighs 4.4 pounds or less, including payload but not including the tether;

(B) is physically attached to a ground station with a taut, appropriately load-rated tether that provides continuous power to the unmanned aircraft and is unlikely to be separated from the unmanned aircraft; and

(C) is controlled and retrieved by such ground station through physical manipulation of the tether.

(2) Appropriate committees of congress.— The term “appropriate committees of Congress” means the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives.

(3) Arctic.— The term “Arctic” means the United States zone of the Chukchi Sea, Beaufort Sea, and Bering Sea north of the Aleutian chain.

(4) Certificate of waiver; certificate of authorization.— The terms “certificate of waiver” and “certificate of authorization” mean a Federal Aviation Administration grant of approval for a specific flight operation.

(5) Counter-UAS system.— The term “counter-UAS system” means a system or device capable of lawfully and safely disabling, disrupting, or seizing control of an unmanned aircraft or unmanned aircraft system.

(6) Permanent areas.— The term “permanent areas” means areas on land or water that provide for launch, recovery, and operation of small unmanned aircraft.

(7) Public unmanned aircraft system.— The term “public unmanned aircraft system” means an unmanned aircraft system that meets the qualifications and conditions required for operation of a public aircraft.

(8) Sense and avoid capability.— The term “sense and avoid capability” means the capability of an unmanned aircraft to remain a safe distance from and to avoid collisions with other airborne aircraft, structures on the ground, and other objects.

(9) Small unmanned aircraft.— The term “small unmanned aircraft” means an unmanned aircraft weighing less than 55 pounds, including the weight of anything attached to or carried by the aircraft.

(10) Test range.— The term “test range” means a defined geographic area where research and development are conducted as authorized by the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, and includes any of the 6 test ranges established by the Administrator under section 332(c) of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note), as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, and any public entity authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration as an unmanned aircraft system flight test center before January 1, 2009.

(11) Unmanned aircraft.— The term “unmanned aircraft” means an aircraft that is operated without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the aircraft.

(12) Unmanned aircraft system.— The term “unmanned aircraft system” means an unmanned aircraft and associated elements (including communication links and the components that control the unmanned aircraft) that are required for the operator to operate safely and efficiently in the national airspace system.

(13) UTM.— The term “UTM” means an unmanned aircraft system traffic management system or service.”

(Added Pub. L. 115–254, div. B, title III, § 341(a), Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3284.)