Commercial UAS Modernization Act

This bill amends the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 to permit a person to operate a small commercial unmanned aircraft (drone) without an airworthiness certificate within the United States for the period beginning on enactment of this Act and ending on the effective date of a final rule based on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking "Operation and Certification of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems" dated February 23, 2015, subject to the following conditions and restrictions:

• the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must receive proof that the drone owner has liability insurance for the drone;
• the owner must register the drone;
• the operator must pass a test developed to assess initial aeronautical knowledge and a proficiency test administered by a drone test site; and
• the operator must demonstrate the ability to fly the drone in accordance with certain operating restrictions concerning visibility, time of day, air traffic control, airspace, preflight inspection, and operator health.

A drone may not be operated until the operator of a test site certifies that it meets the requirements in the rulemaking notice and can operate within the restrictions.

The owner or operator of a drone involved in an accident causing personal injury or property damage must report it to the FAA within two days after the accident.

The FAA shall:

• appoint a Deputy Associate Administrator for Unmanned Aircraft,
• establish a joint aircraft system research and development data collection and analysis program at the William J. Hughes Technical Center, and
• implement an air traffic management pilot program to research and test a new regulatory structure for drone operations in airspace below 1,200 feet.