H.R. 6618 — Wildfire Aerial Response Safety Act

This section directs the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator, in consultation with the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture (through the Forest Service Chief), to conduct a study on the effects of unmanned aircraft system (UAS) incursions—defined as UAS operations in airspace subject to a temporary flight restriction due to a wildfire—on wildfire suppression on lands managed by those departments. The study must (1) determine, for each of the five most recent calendar years, the number of incursions that interfered with suppression efforts and their estimated effects on suppression time, delays in aerial firefighting deployment, and federal expenditures; and (2) evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of disseminating educational materials on such incursions and deploying approved counter-UAS systems (as defined in 49 U.S.C. §44801) by authorized entities to detect, mitigate, and prevent them. The Administrator must submit a report on the study's findings and recommendations to specified Senate and House committees within 18 months of enactment.