What the FCC’s New Rule Means for Drones

The agency last week voted to allow certain drone operations on a dedicated radio frequency spectrum, with the goal of improving safety and access.

Thursday, September 05, 2024 at 04:45 PM ET

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Drone equipment provider uAvionix tests a drone on the radio frequency spectrum the FCC has designated exclusively for uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS). [Courtesy: uAvionix]

Key Takeaways:

The FCC has adopted initial rules (Part 88) allowing certain drones to use a dedicated 5 GHz radio frequency (5030-5091 MHz) for critical control and non-payload communications.
This measure aims to significantly enhance drone safety and reliability by moving operations from shared, interference-prone frequencies to a protected, exclusive spectrum.
The new framework supports essential drone applications such as infrastructure inspection, emergency services, and agriculture, managed by Dynamic Frequency Management Systems for efficient and safe spectrum allocation.
While an important first step, the rule is currently limited in scope, excluding networked operations and high-bandwidth payload communications, but lays the groundwork for future expansion and integration of drone technology.

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The Federal Communications Commission has voted to adopt a set of initial rules for uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS)—more commonly known as drones—to use an exclusive radio frequency for operations.

The FCC last week approved Part 88, which, for the first time, permits certain drone operations within a dedicated 5 GHz spectrum for wireless communications. Most drones fly on unprotected wireless frequencies—the same ones shared by your Wi-Fi router—which raises the risk of interference, such as through jamming.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.