Bill Overview
Title: Drone Infrastructure Inspection Grant Act
Description: This bill establishes programs within the Department of Transportation (DOT) to support the use of drones and other small, unmanned aircraft systems when inspecting, repairing, or constructing road infrastructure, electric grid infrastructure, water infrastructure, or other critical infrastructure. Specifically, DOT must award grants to state, tribal, and local governments; metropolitan planning organizations; or groups of those entities to purchase or otherwise use drones to increase efficiency, reduce costs, improve worker and community safety, reduce carbon emissions, or meet other priorities related to critical infrastructure projects. Grant recipients must use domestically manufactured drones that are made by companies not subject to influence or control from certain foreign entities, including China and Russia. DOT must also award grants to certain institutions of higher education for training students for careers using drones and related technologies.
Sponsors: Rep. Stanton, Greg [D-AZ-9]
Target Audience
Population: People working with and affected by drone infrastructure projects
Estimated Size: 3500000
- The bill aims to support the use of drones in infrastructure projects; thus, it primarily impacts workers and professionals involved in infrastructure inspection, repair, and construction.
- By improving efficiency and safety in these areas, workers in construction and maintenance, particularly those involved in infrastructure, will be directly impacted.
- Local, state, and tribal governments along with metropolitan planning organizations will be involved as they are the ones receiving grants to implement drone technology in their projects.
- The drone manufacturing industry within the U.S. will see an impact as there will be an increased demand for domestic drones due to the stipulations that non-foreign influenced products must be used.
- Institutions of higher education will be affected by this act through the establishment and expansion of drone training programs, impacting students and faculty focusing on drone technology.
- Communities will generally be affected as infrastructure improves in safety and efficiency, also potentially impacting economic factors like job creation in various sectors.
Reasoning
- The policy primarily affects professionals in infrastructure inspection and construction, which includes a substantial portion of the population involved with infrastructure projects.
- Given the large budget and long-term focus, many individuals and organizations might see changes in safety, efficiency, and cost structures.
- Those working directly in infrastructure may experience medium to high impact, with changes in training and job roles due to the integration of drone technology.
- Drone manufacturers in the U.S. will be driven by increased demand due to restrictions on foreign products, potentially impacting the economy and employment in this sector.
- Educational institutions receive a boost in their curriculum for drone technology, potentially leading to better employment opportunities for graduates in this field.
- General community members may notice subtle long-term improvements due to infrastructural enhancements, though direct personal impact will vary.
Simulated Interviews
Infrastructure Inspector (Kansas City, MO)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think this policy is a great step towards modernizing infrastructure inspection.
- The implementation of drone technology might make our jobs safer and more efficient.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Drone Technician (Chicago, IL)
Age: 33 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could be a big boost for my career, expanding job opportunities in drone technology.
- There will likely be more demand for skilled technicians and training programs.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 5 |
Construction Worker (Raleigh, NC)
Age: 52 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm worried drones might replace some of the manual work we do.
- However, I hope it also means safer and better monitored construction sites.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 3 |
Urban Planner (Santa Fe, NM)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Drones could make our planning and inspections much more efficient.
- Overcoming the bureaucratic hurdles for implementation is necessary.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 7 |
Drone Company Owner (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy might increase demand for domestically manufactured drones.
- There are challenges in ramping up production to meet new demands.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Community College Lecturer (Seattle, WA)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- With more educational grants, we can expand our program and perhaps collaborate with the industry.
- It’s exciting to see formal support for growing this field.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
State Government Worker (Austin, TX)
Age: 48 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Access to grants can help us modernize infrastructure quickly and safely.
- Implementation details are crucial in ensuring efficient use of the funds.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Graduate Student (New York, NY)
Age: 25 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy makes the field I'm entering seem much more promising.
- More training programs and applications would be beneficial.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
Electric Grid Engineer (Little Rock, AR)
Age: 39 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Integrating drones could enhance safety and efficiency in what we do.
- There are challenges in learning and applying these technologies quickly.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 5 |
Community Member (Baton Rouge, LA)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 20/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Improvements in infrastructure safety and efficiency are welcome changes that could benefit our community.
- I hope the policy translates to real, tangible improvements we can all feel.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 3 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $100000000 (Low: $80000000, High: $120000000)
Year 2: $120000000 (Low: $100000000, High: $140000000)
Year 3: $130000000 (Low: $110000000, High: $150000000)
Year 5: $140000000 (Low: $120000000, High: $160000000)
Year 10: $150000000 (Low: $130000000, High: $170000000)
Year 100: $150000000 (Low: $130000000, High: $170000000)
Key Considerations
- Unforeseen advancements or costs in drone technology could significantly impact the budget.
- Long-term savings from infrastructure efficiency and safety can justify upfront costs.
- Compliance with domestic manufacturing requirement could present challenges initially but foster domestic industry growth.