Drone Safety and Efficiency Act

This bill directs the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to adopt a performance-based and risk-based approach in reviewing specific waiver requests for the operation of small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), also known as drones. (A small unmanned aircraft weighs less than 55 pounds on takeoff.)

The FAA must improve the current established process to submit small UAS waiver requests. The bill prohibits the FAA from requiring the use of open-ended descriptive prompts that must be filled out by an applicant, with exceptions.

Further, the FAA must leverage data gathered from previous waiver requests. If the FAA determines that a waiver application is substantially similar to a previously approved application, the FAA may streamline approval of the waiver application; the new waiver application and the previously approved application must include substantially similar conditions and limitations.

In determining whether to issue a waiver certificate, the FAA must (1) consider whether the waiver applicant has control over access to all real property on the ground within the area of the UAS's operation, and (2) account for the safety enhancements of such access.

The FAA must also establish an expedited review process for a request to modify or renew a waiver.

The FAA must publish all issued waivers on the FAA website.