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H.R. 6460

U.S. House•In Senate Committee

Summary

H.R. 6460, the Recreational Drone Empowerment Act, was introduced in the House on Dec 4, 2025 by Rep. Tracey Mann (R) with 1 co-sponsor. It was referred to Commerce, Science, And Transportation, and last saw action on Mar 25, 2026: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Record

Text

H.R. 6460 has 1 co-sponsor.

hb6460/engrossed-in-house.txt
119 HR 6460 EH: Recreational Drone Empowerment Act
 U.S. House of Representatives
 text/xml
 EN
 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
 IB
 119th CONGRESS  2d Session
 H. R. 6460
 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
 AN ACT
To amend title 49, United States Code, to clarify exceptions for limited recreational operations of unmanned aircraft, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Recreational Drone Empowerment Act  .
2.
Clarifying recreational operations of drone systems
Section 44809(c)(2)(C) of title 49, United States Code, is amended—
(1)
in the heading by inserting
and Class E   after
Uncontrolled  ; and
(2)
by inserting  , Class E airspace above Class G airspace, or a Class E airspace designated as an extension to a Class B, Class C, Class D, or Class E surface area  after  Class G airspace .
    Passed the House of Representatives March 24, 2026.  Kevin F. McCumber,  Clerk.

Tracker

The tracker indicates the progress of this legislation as it moves through the legislative process.

  1. Introduced2025-12-04
  2. Passed House2026-03-24
  3. Passed Senate
  4. Conference
  5. To President
  6. Became Law

CRS Summary

The summaries are the Congressional Research Service’s, one per stage. Read them in full.

Reported to House Mar 16, 2026

hb6460/reported-to-house.md

Shown Here:
Reported to House (03/16/2026)

Recreational Drone Empowerment Act

This bill expands the areas in which recreational unmanned aircraft systems (i.e., drones) are authorized to fly.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has various classifications for airspace, including Class E airspace, which is controlled airspace that is comprised of multiple sectors (e.g., Classes E1 to E5). Class E airspace includes sectors that (1) generally begin where Class G airspace (i.e., uncontrolled airspace) ends, and (2) are associated with an airport surface area or a surface level extension to another class of airspace.

Under current law, recreational drones may generally operate in certain circumstances from a fixed site, including within Class B, C, or D airspace. They may also operate within Class G airspace (1) up to 400 feet above ground level, without prior FAA authorization; and (2) over 400 feet above ground level with prior FAA authorization.

The FAA has interpreted current law to allow recreational drone operations in Class E2 airspace designated for an airport and prohibit recreational drone operations in other Class E sectors.

The bill specifies that the FAA may authorize recreational drones to operate at fixed site locations in Class E airspace that is

  • above Class G airspace; or
  • designated as an extension to a Class B, C, D, or E surface area.

Sponsors

Rep. Tracey Mann (R) sponsors H.R. 6460, and 1 member has co-sponsored it from the day it was introduced.

Committees

H.R. 6460 went before 3 committees: Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Transportation and Infrastructure and Aviation Subcommittee.

Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Referred To · Mar 25, 2026 · 458 Bills
Transportation and Infrastructure
Transportation and Infrastructure
Reported By · Mar 16, 2026 · 156 Bills
Aviation Subcommittee
Aviation Subcommittee
Referred to · Dec 5, 2025 · 73 Bills

Reports

1 committee report has been filed on H.R. 6460, the latest H. Rept. 119-549.

Actions

H.R. 6460 has taken 15 actions since Dec 4, 2025, the latest on Mar 25, 2026.

ChamberAction
Mar 25, 2026
Senate
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
Mar 24, 202616:49
House
Mr. Taylor moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
Mar 24, 202616:49
House
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2659-2660)
Mar 24, 202616:49
House
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 6460.
Mar 24, 202616:55
House
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2659)

Votes

H.R. 6460 has not gone to a roll call.

Titles

H.R. 6460 goes by 7 titles, 4 of them short titles.

  • Recreational Drone Empowerment Act — Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text
  • Recreational Drone Empowerment Act — Short Title(s) as Passed House
  • To amend title 49, United States Code, to clarify exceptions for limited recreational operations of unmanned aircraft, and for other purposes. — Official Titles from EH (Engrossed in House) bill text
  • Recreational Drone Empowerment Act — Short Title(s) as Reported to House
  • Recreational Drone Empowerment Act — Display Title
  • Recreational Drone Empowerment Act — Short Title(s) as Introduced
  • To amend title 49, United States Code, to clarify exceptions for limited recreational operations of unmanned aircraft, and for other purposes. — Official Title as Introduced

Cost estimate

The Congressional Budget Office has filed 1 estimate for H.R. 6460, the latest on Feb 3, 2026.

Lobbying

4 clients hired 4 firms and 22 registered lobbyists who named H.R. 6460 in 8 quarterly filings, 2025 to 2026. Reported under the Lobbying Disclosure Act; a filing’s income covers everything its registrant worked that quarter, so the amounts below are the filings’, not this bill’s.

Filed under Aviation/Airlines/Airports, Homeland Security, Taxation/Internal Revenue Code, Budget/Appropriations, Transportation, Aerospace, Defense, Education.

Clients

Who paid to be heard, by how many filings named the bill.

ClientBusinessStateFirmsFilingsReported
ACADEMY OF MODEL AERONAUTICSmodel aviation associationIndiana13$150K
AIR LINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION—Virginia12—
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF AIRPORT EXECUTIVES—Virginia12—
AIRPORTS COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL -- NORTH AMERICA—District of Columbia11—

Firms

Registrants who filed on the bill, by filings.

RegistrantClientsFilingsReported
CAPITOL HILL POLICY GROUP LLC13$150K
AIR LINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION12—
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF AIRPORT EXECUTIVES12—
AIRPORTS COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL -- NORTH AMERICA11—

Lobbyists

Named on the filings that cite the bill. The 20 named most often, of 22.

LobbyistFirmsClientsFilings
JAMES REID113
ROBERT PORTER113
TODD BERTOSON113
BRADLEY VAN DAM112
DAVID MARTIN112
ELIZABETH BAKER112
HANNAH GENOVESE112
JEFFREY PAVLAK112
JILL LARRABEE112
JOEL BACON112
JUSTIN BARKOWSKI112
KAREN KUHLMAN112
MEGAN EISENSTEIN112
SEAN MAXWELL112
STEPHANIE GUPTA112
TODD HAUPTLI112
AMANDA LA JOIE111
ANNIE RUSSO BELLAVIA111
GREGORY COTA111
KEVIN BURKE111

Filings

The documents themselves, on the Senate’s Lobbying Disclosure site, largest reported first.

ClientRegistrantPeriodReportedDocument
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF AIRPORT EXECUTIVESAMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF AIRPORT EXECUTIVES2026 first_quarter$1.2M1st Quarter - Report
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF AIRPORT EXECUTIVESAMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF AIRPORT EXECUTIVES2026 second_quarter$1.2M2nd Quarter - Report
AIRPORTS COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL -- NORTH AMERICAAIRPORTS COUNCIL INTERNATIONAL -- NORTH AMERICA2026 second_quarter$775.2K2nd Quarter - Report
AIR LINE PILOTS ASSOCIATIONAIR LINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION2026 second_quarter$266K2nd Quarter - Report
AIR LINE PILOTS ASSOCIATIONAIR LINE PILOTS ASSOCIATION2026 first_quarter$240K1st Quarter - Report
ACADEMY OF MODEL AERONAUTICSCAPITOL HILL POLICY GROUP LLC2026 second_quarter$50K2nd Quarter - Report
ACADEMY OF MODEL AERONAUTICSCAPITOL HILL POLICY GROUP LLC2026 first_quarter$50K1st Quarter - Report
ACADEMY OF MODEL AERONAUTICSCAPITOL HILL POLICY GROUP LLC2025 fourth_quarter$50K4th Quarter - Report

Classification

The Congressional Research Service files H.R. 6460 under Transportation and Public Works, one of its 31 policy areas, and gives it 4 legislative subjects.

CRS Subjects

CRS assigns every bill one policy area from its 31; H.R. 6460’s is Transportation and Public Works.

hr6460/policy-areas.txt
Transportation and Public WorksAgriculture and FoodAnimalsArmed Forces and National SecurityArts, Culture, ReligionCivil Rights and Liberties, Minority IssuesCommerceCongressCrime and Law EnforcementEconomics and Public FinanceEducationEmergency ManagementEnergyEnvironmental ProtectionFamiliesFinance and Financial SectorForeign Trade and International FinanceGovernment Operations and PoliticsHealthHousing and Community DevelopmentImmigrationInternational AffairsLabor and EmploymentLawNative AmericansPublic Lands and Natural ResourcesScience, Technology, CommunicationsSocial WelfareSports and RecreationTaxationWater Resources Development

Legislative Subjects

H.R. 6460 carries 4 of CRS’s legislative subjects, from Administrative law and regulatory procedures to Transportation safety and security.

hr6460/subjects.txt
Administrative law and regulatory proceduresAviation and airportsLicensing and registrationsTransportation safety and security

Constitutional authority

The clause the sponsor cites as Congress’s power to enact H.R. 6460, as entered in the Congressional Record.

[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 203 (Thursday, December 4, 2025)][House]From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]By Mr. MANN:H.R. 6460.Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuantto the following:Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution.[Page H5052]

Source: congress.gov · legiscan.com