STAR Act

Increased Safety and Security for NASA Facilities: The Administrator can take necessary actions to mitigate threats posed by unmanned aircraft systems to the safety or security of covered facilities (Section 2, Section 20118(a)).

Protection of Space Launch Property: Entities licensed for launch, reentry, testing, or manufacturing activities are authorized to take actions to protect their property from threats posed by unmanned aircraft (Section 2, Section 50925(a)).

Coordinated Policy Development: The Administrator must work with several high-level offices, including the Attorney General and the Secretary of Defense, to develop uniform policy regarding these protective actions (Section 2, Section 20118(e)).

Local Law Enforcement Involvement: The Administrator is required to consult with local law enforcement every year to determine the most effective and least hazardous ways to take protective actions (Section 2, Section 20118(f)).

Loss of Property Without Consent: An unmanned aircraft can be detected, tracked, disrupted, seized, or even destroyed using reasonable force without the operator's prior consent (Section 2, Section 20118(b); Section 2, Section 50925(b)).

Forfeiture of Equipment: Any unmanned aircraft or system seized by the Administrator is subject to forfeiture to the United States (Section 2, Section 20118(c)). For those seized by a covered entity, the aircraft is subject to forfeiture to the local law enforcement agency (Section 2, Section 50925(c)).

Liability for Damages: If an action is taken to mitigate a threat, the operator of the unmanned aircraft system is held liable for any damages caused by that action (Section 2, Section 20118(g); Section 2, Section 50925(f)).

Lack of Immunity for Officials: Unlike some other legal standards, the Administrator and their employees are not entitled to absolute or qualified immunity as a defense to liability under this section (Section 2, Section 20118(g)).