Pilots Express Concerns With Part 108 Drone Proposal

AOPA, ALPA, and other groups feel the FAA is not hearing their worries about risk elevation.

Jack Daleo

Friday, October 10, 2025 at 02:34 PM ET

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Jack Daleo

There is a stark divide between pilots and commercial drone operators, such as Wing, when it comes to the FAA’s proposed Part 108 rule. [Courtesy: Wing]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA's proposed Part 108 rule aims to establish a framework for widespread Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations, enabling commercial services like delivery and inspection.
Piloted aviation groups, including AOPA and ALPA, strongly oppose the proposal, arguing it significantly elevates risk to crewed aircraft by granting drones right-of-way in certain airspaces, imposing lighter operational requirements, and not requiring traditional pilot certification.
The drone industry, while supporting BVLOS expansion, also criticizes the proposal for overly burdensome requirements, such as extensive TSA security assessments for delivery staff and expectations for drones to detect all non-conspicuous aircraft.
The proposal has generated over one million comments, highlighting a "great divide" and significant controversy between traditional aviation and the drone industry regarding the safe and equitable integration of drones.

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The FAA has spent more than four years developing regulations for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drone flight. Its publication of a proposed Part 108 rule in August marked its largest step toward opening the floodgates for commercial drone delivery, inspection, and any number of missions outside the direct view of the operator—including in controlled airspace.

But pilots represented by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), and other groups fear the proposal elevates risk to crewed aircraft.