---
kind: "section"
citation: "33 U.S.C. § 4103"
title: "33"
title_heading: "Navigation and Navigable Waters"
number: "4103"
heading: "Regular assessment of unmanned maritime systems to support National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration missions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/33/4103"
units:
  - "Chapter 54 — Commercial Engagement Through Ocean Technology"
---

# §4103. Regular assessment of unmanned maritime systems to support National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration missions

- (a) **In general—** The [Administrator](/usc/33/4101.md?p=2), acting through the Assistant [Administrator](/usc/33/4101.md?p=2) for Oceanic and Atmospheric Research and the Assistant [Administrator](/usc/33/4101.md?p=2) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric [Administration](/usc/33/4101.md?p=1) for Marine and Aviation Operations and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric [Administration](/usc/33/4101.md?p=1) Commissioned Officer Corps, shall regularly assess publicly and commercially available [unmanned maritime systems](/usc/33/4101.md?p=6-A) for potential use to support missions of the [Administration](/usc/33/4101.md?p=1).
- (b) **Science-based assessments—** The [Administrator](/usc/33/4101.md?p=2) shall carry out [subsection (a)](#a) through the Assistant [Administrator](/usc/33/4101.md?p=2) for all matters relating to assessment of the suitability, feasibility, and cost-effectiveness of [unmanned maritime systems](/usc/33/4101.md?p=6-A) to meet [data specifications](/usc/33/4101.md?p=4) required by programs of the [Administration](/usc/33/4101.md?p=1).
- (c) **Assessment of operational utility—** The [Administrator](/usc/33/4101.md?p=2) shall carry out [subsection (a)](#a) through the Director for all matters relating to assessment of whether [unmanned maritime systems](/usc/33/4101.md?p=6-A) are operationally reliable, feasible, and cost effective enough to make observations required by programs of the [Administration](/usc/33/4101.md?p=1).
- (d) **Engagement—** The Assistant [Administrator](/usc/33/4101.md?p=2) and the Director shall jointly—
  - (1) convene and consult the [Unmanned Maritime Systems](/usc/33/4101.md?p=6-A) Ocean Technology Coordinating Committee established under [section 4102(b) of this title](/usc/33/4102.md?p=b); and
  - (2) consult with the heads of other offices of the [Administration](/usc/33/4101.md?p=1), the academic sector, and developers and manufacturers of [unmanned maritime systems](/usc/33/4101.md?p=6-A) to conduct the assessments under [subsection (a)](#a).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 115–394, § 4, Dec. 21, 2018, 132 Stat. 5284; Pub. L. 119–60, div. H, title LXXXIV, § 8401(a)(2), Dec. 18, 2025, 139 Stat. 1908.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2025—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 119–60 substituted “Assistant Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for” for “Director of the Office of”.