The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has cleared the way for expanded drone operations with the release of new spectrum guidelines.

The Federal Communications Commission has adopted new guidelines permitting preliminary drone operations within the 5 gigahertz spectrum band, enabling reliable wireless communication necessary for safely managing the flight trajectories of unmanned aerial systems. The rapid growth of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in America is staggering: forecasts suggest a tripling of operational volume by decade’s end, accompanied by a market surge exceeding tens of billions of dollars. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are playing a pivotal role in various applications, including search and rescue operations, providing assistance to farmers, inspecting critical infrastructure, facilitating the delivery of essential medicines, and gathering vital intelligence.

As FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel noted, “With the future already upon us, we’ve come to expect: unmanned aircraft systems are curtailing wildfires, facilitating data collection, transporting packages, and bolstering national security.” “The Federal Communications Commission is working diligently to meet the spectrum demands of remote-piloted aircraft operations.” We will collaborate with both our private and non-private partners to drive optimal results for public safety, wireless industries, consumers, and our economy.

This motion sets forth initial service standards allowing operators to secure dedicated frequency allocations within a segment of the 5030-5091 MHz spectrum for non-networked applications. The newly established guidelines rely on cutting-edge dynamic frequency allocation techniques to manage and orchestrate access to the spectrum, thereby ensuring its secure and sustainable utilization. These administration methodologies provide requestors with short-term frequency allocations to facilitate seamless communication between UAS management systems, ensuring reliable connectivity for operations within managed airspace and high-stakes scenarios.

To facilitate operations within the designated interval prior to dynamic frequency administration methods taking effect, the principles establish an interim entry mechanism, whereby operators seeking to transmit within the band submit a request to the Federal Aviation Administration for deconfliction and approval; following FAA authorization, they complete an internet registration form with the Fee. Once the principles are finalized and the Fee publicly announces its readiness, the interim mechanism is likely to become available for operators, allowing them to register once the necessary information becomes publicly accessible.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted a Report and Order, voting unanimously on the next step in its Nationwide Spectrum Technique announced in November 2023. This preliminary measure will enable near-term action to facilitate initial deployment of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in the 5 GHz band, preceding future studies coordinated with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration. Meanwhile, the Fee will focus on developing strategies to effectively address emerging UAS operational needs.