33 USC § 576c - Corps of Engineers operation of unmanned aircraft systems

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t33/s576c"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "33 USC § 576c - Corps of Engineers operation of unmanned aircraft systems"
title_number: 33
title_name: "NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS"
section_number: "576c"
section_name: "Corps of Engineers operation of unmanned aircraft systems"
chapter_number: 12
chapter_name: "RIVER AND HARBOR IMPROVEMENTS GENERALLY"
subchapter_number: "I"
subchapter_name: "GENERAL PROVISIONS"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 114–322, title I, § 1124, Dec. 16, 2016, 130 Stat. 1647.)"
---


# § 576c. Corps of Engineers operation of unmanned aircraft systems

**(a)** **In general** The Secretary shall designate an individual, within the headquarters office of the Corps of Engineers, who shall serve as the coordinator and principal approving official for developing the process and procedures by which the Corps of Engineers—

**1** operates and maintains small unmanned aircraft (as defined in section 331 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 40101[^1] note)) systems in support of civil works and emergency response missions of the Corps of Engineers; and

See References in Text note below.

**(2)** acquires, applies for, and receives any necessary Federal Aviation Administration authorizations for such operations and systems.

**(b)** **Requirements** A small unmanned aircraft system acquired, operated, or maintained for carrying out the missions specified in subsection (a) shall be operated in accordance with regulations of the Federal Aviation Administration as a civil aircraft or public aircraft, at the discretion of the Secretary, and shall be exempt from regulations of the Department of Defense, including the Department of the Army, governing such system.

**(c)** **Limitation** A small unmanned aircraft system acquired, operated, or maintained by the Corps of Engineers is excluded from use by the Department of Defense, including the Department of the Army, for any mission of the Department of Defense other than a mission specified in subsection (a).

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 114–322, title I, § 1124, Dec. 16, 2016, 130 Stat. 1647.)

## Editorial Notes

### References in Text

Section 331 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, referred to in subsec. (a)(1), is , which was set out in a note under , Transportation, and was transferred and is now set out in a note under .

## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### “Secretary” Defined

Secretary means the Secretary of the Army, see , set out as a note under .