(a) In General.—During any fiscal year for which funds are appropriated for the design or construction of an Offshore Patrol Cutter, the Commandant—

(1) may not award a contract for design of an unmanned aircraft system for use by the Coast Guard; and

(2) may lease, acquire, or acquire the services of an unmanned aircraft system only if such system—

(A) has been part of a program of record of, procured by, or used by a Federal entity (or funds for research, development, test, and evaluation have been received from a Federal entity with regard to such system) before the date on which the Commandant leases, acquires, or acquires the services of the system; and

(B) is leased, acquired, or utilized by the Commandant through an agreement with a Federal entity, unless such an agreement is not practicable or would be less cost-effective than an independent contract action by the Coast Guard.

(b) Small Unmanned Aircraft Exemption.—Subsection (a)(2) does not apply to small unmanned aircraft.

(c) Definitions.—In this section, the terms "small unmanned aircraft" and "unmanned aircraft system" have the meanings given those terms in section 331 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note).¹