2 Rules Under Review Could Reshape U.S. Commercial Drone Operations

Industry for years has clamored for the regulations, believing they will open the floodgates for UAV delivery and other services.

Jack Daleo

Saturday, May 31, 2025 at 09:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By: Luke Venable

A Wing drone delivers a DoorDash order through the skies over Charlotte, North Carolina. [Courtesy: Wing]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. government is reviewing two crucial FAA drone regulations, Part 108 and Section 2209, poised to significantly expand and regulate commercial drone operations nationwide.
Part 108 aims to open up Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations without a waiver, dramatically increasing scalability for commercial uses like delivery and inspection.
Section 2209 will allow sensitive facilities to apply for drone-specific flight restrictions, balancing innovation with security concerns. Both rules are considered interdependent for the industry's growth.
The drone industry strongly supports these long-awaited regulations, viewing them as essential for unlocking the full commercial potential of uncrewed aviation in the U.S.

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WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. government’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) is reviewing a pair of regulations that could open the floodgates for commercial drone operations nationwide.

The Department of Transportation this month announced that Secretary Sean Duffy submitted the FAA’s highly anticipated proposals for Part 108 and Section 2209 to OIRA. The OIRA interagency review is the final step before the proposed rules—which have languished in regulatory limbo for years—are published in the Federal Register for public comment.