Purpose of the Bill

The bill's purpose is to allocate funds to support the development and implementation of small unmanned aircraft systems (drones) for delivering medical supplies to rural areas in Minnesota.

Main Provisions

• Funding Allocation: The bill designates $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2026 and another $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2027. These funds are sourced from the general fund and are earmarked for the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
• One-time Appropriation: The funds provided are specified as a one-time appropriation, indicating they will not be available for subsequent fiscal years unless further action is taken.
• Support Activities: The allocated funds will cover various support activities related to drone delivery, including:
  1. Improvements to air navigation facilities to enable drone operations beyond the visual line of sight.
  2. Assistance for obtaining the necessary federal certificates to fly drones beyond visual line of sight.
  3. Testing programs focused on medical supply delivery via drones.
  4. Public outreach to educate communities about drone use for medical delivery.
  5. Developing guidance and best practices for drone delivery operations.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

While the bill does not amend existing laws, it facilitates new transportation solutions for medical supplies, emphasizing advances in drone technology and incorporating regulations for these new use cases.

Relevant Terms

• unmanned aircraft systems
• drones
• medical supply delivery
• rural areas
• beyond visual line of sight
• transportation funding