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 new rules (Part 88) to allow specific uncrewed aircraft systems (drones) to utilize a dedicated 5 GHz radio frequency band (5030-5091 MHz).
This aims to enhance drone safety and reliability by moving critical operations off shared, unprotected airwaves that are prone to interference, which currently poses significant risks.
The dedicated spectrum supports the growing drone industry and its vital applications, such as infrastructure inspection, emergency response, and agriculture.
The new framework initially covers control-and-non-payload communications and will be managed by Dynamic Frequency Management Systems, with future expansion to networked operations anticipated.

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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.