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 allocate a dedicated 5 GHz radio frequency (5030-5091 MHz) for uncrewed aircraft systems (drones).
This exclusive spectrum aims to significantly improve drone safety and reliability by preventing interference, as drones currently operate on shared, unprotected frequencies vulnerable to disruption.
The new framework supports the rapidly growing drone industry's use in critical applications like infrastructure inspection, emergency response, and agriculture, with plans for a phased implementation using Dynamic Frequency Management Systems (DFMS) and future expansion for more complex operations.

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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.