§336. Unmanned system program and autonomous control and computer vision technology project

(a) Unmanned System Program.—Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall establish, under the control of the Commandant, an unmanned system program for the use by the Coast Guard of land-based, cutter-based, and aircraft-based unmanned systems for the purpose of increasing effectiveness and efficiency of mission execution.

(b) Autonomous Control and Computer Vision Technology Project.—

(1) In general.—The Commandant shall conduct a project to retrofit up to 4 existing Coast Guard small boats deployed at operational units with—

(A) commercially available autonomous control and computer vision technology; and

(B) such sensors and methods of communication as are necessary to control, and technology to assist in conducting, search and rescue, surveillance, and interdiction missions.


(2) Data collection.—As part of the project required under paragraph (1), the Commandant shall collect and evaluate field-collected operational data from the retrofit described in such paragraph to inform future requirements.

(3) Briefing.—Not later than 180 days after the date on which the project required under paragraph (1) is completed, the Commandant shall provide to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a briefing in person or in writing on the project that includes an evaluation of the data collected from the project.


(c) Unmanned System Defined.—In this section, the term "unmanned system" means—

(1) an unmanned aircraft system (as such term is defined in section 44801 of title 49);

(2) an unmanned marine surface system; and

(3) an unmanned marine subsurface system.

(Added Pub. L. 115–282, title III, §304(a), Dec. 4, 2018, 132 Stat. 4244, §319; amended Pub. L. 116–283, div. G, title LVXXXIV [LXXXIV], §8413(a), Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4725; Pub. L. 117–263, div. K, title CXII, §11225(a), title CXVIII, §11803(a), Dec. 23, 2022, 136 Stat. 4024, 4163; renumbered §336 and amended Pub. L. 119–60, div. G, title LXXII, §7201(b), title LXXIII, §7334, Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1675, 1773.)


Editorial Notes

References in Text

The date of enactment of this section, referred to in subsec. (a), probably means the date of enactment of Pub. L. 117–263, which amended this section generally and was approved Dec. 23, 2022.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 336 was renumbered section 317 of this title and subsequently renumbered section 311 of this title.

Amendments

2025—Pub. L. 119–60, §7201(b), renumbered section 319 of this title as this section.

Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 119–60, §7334(1), substituted "up to 4" for "2 or more" in introductory provisions.

Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 119–60, §7334(2), inserted "in person or in writing" after "a briefing".

2022—Pub. L. 117–263, §11225(a), amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section related to land-based unmanned aircraft system program.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 117–263, §11803(a), which directed substitution of "section 44801 of title 49" for "section 331 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note)", could not be executed because of the intervening general amendment of this section by Pub. L. 117–263, §11225(a). See above.

2021—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 116–283 added subsec. (c).


Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Coast Guard Training Course

Pub. L. 119–60, div. G, title LXXIII, §7332, Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1772, provided that:

"(a) In General.—For the period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 18, 2025] and ending on the date that is 3 years after such date of enactment, the Commandant [of the Coast Guard], or such other individual or organization as the Commandant considers appropriate, shall develop a training course on small uncrewed maritime systems and offer such training course at least once each year for Coast Guard personnel working with or regulating small uncrewed maritime systems.

"(b) Course Subject Matter.—In developing the training course under subsection (a), the Commandant or other individual or organization shall—

"(1) provide an overview and introduction to small uncrewed maritime systems, including examples of those used by the Federal Government, in academic settings, and in commercial sectors;

"(2) address the benefits and disadvantages of use of small uncrewed maritime systems;

"(3) address safe navigation of small uncrewed maritime systems, including measures to ensure collision avoidance;

"(4) address the ability of small uncrewed maritime systems to communicate with and alert other vessels in the vicinity;

"(5) address the ability of small uncrewed maritime systems to respond to system alarms and failures to ensure control commensurate with the risk posed by the systems;

"(6) provide present and future capabilities of small uncrewed maritime systems; and

"(7) provide an overview of the role of the International Maritime Organization in the governance of small uncrewed maritime systems.

"(c) Definitions.—In this section:

"(1) Small uncrewed maritime systems.—The term 'small uncrewed maritime systems' means unmanned maritime systems (as defined in section 2 of the CENOTE Act of 2018 (33 U.S.C. 4101)), that—

"(A) are not greater than 35 feet overall in length;

"(B) are operated remotely or autonomously; and

"(C) exclusively perform oceanographic surveys or scientific research.

"(2) Uncrewed system.—The term 'uncrewed system'—

"(A) means an uncrewed surface, undersea, or aircraft system and associated elements (including communication links and the components that control the uncrewed system) that are required for the operator to operate the system safely and efficiently; and

"(B) includes an unmanned aircraft system (as such term is defined in section 44801 of title 49, United States Code)."

Unmanned Aircraft Systems Testing

Pub. L. 116–283, div. G, title LVXXXIV [LXXXIV], §8412, Jan. 1, 2021, 134 Stat. 4724, provided that:

"(a) Training Area.—The Commandant [of the Coast Guard] shall carry out and update, as appropriate, a program for the use of one or more training areas to facilitate the use of unmanned aircraft systems and small unmanned aircraft to support missions of the Coast Guard.

"(b) Designation of Area.—

"(1) In general.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Jan. 1, 2021], the Commandant shall, as part of the program under subsection (a), designate an area for the training, testing, and development of unmanned aircraft systems and small unmanned aircraft.

"(2) Considerations.—In designating a training area under paragraph (1), the Commandant shall—

"(A) ensure that such training area has or receives all necessary Federal Aviation Administration flight authorization; and

"(B) take into consideration all of the following attributes of the training area:

"(i) Direct over-water maritime access from the site.

"(ii) The availability of existing Coast Guard support facilities, including pier and dock space.

"(iii) Proximity to existing and available offshore Warning Area airspace for test and training.

"(iv) Existing facilities and infrastructure to support unmanned aircraft system-augmented, and small unmanned aircraft-augmented, training, evaluations, and exercises.

"(v) Existing facilities with a proven track record of supporting unmanned aircraft systems and small unmanned aircraft systems flight operations.

"(c) Definitions.—In this section—

"(1) the term 'existing' means as of the date of enactment of this Act; and

"(2) the terms 'small unmanned aircraft' and 'unmanned aircraft system' have the meanings given those terms in section 44801 of title 49, United States Code."