Departing FAA Leader Says Agency Is Being ‘Nudged’ to Embrace Risk

Chris Rocheleau became acting administrator in January 2025 and is expected to leave the agency this week.

Jack Daleo

Monday, August 03, 2026 at 01:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Deputy FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau is soon expected to depart the agency and return to his role as chief operating officer of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA). [Credit: NBAA]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA is balancing industry pressure to accelerate the integration of uncrewed drones, which requires a greater embrace of risk, with the agency's inherent caution and primary responsibility for aviation safety.
The pivotal Part 108 rule for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations is experiencing "healthy tension" as the drone industry pushes for faster finalization, while pilots express concerns about safety and permissiveness.
The FAA is undertaking a major modernization of its Air Traffic Control (ATC) systems, including digitizing infrastructure and incorporating AI, to create the necessary foundation for safely scaling drones and advanced air mobility aircraft into the national airspace.

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The FAA’s departing deputy administrator said Friday that the agency is being “nudged” to embrace “more risk” when it comes to the integration of uncrewed drones.

Chris Rocheleau, who is expected to rejoin the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) this week after serving as FAA deputy administrator since July 2025, was speaking at the Commercial Drone Alliance’s (CDA) American Drone Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., before a crowd of drone industry stakeholders.