On Monday, the FAA announced it has issued an authorization for a BVLOS operation from the U.S. coastline over the Gulf of Mexico (referred to as the Gulf of America in federal documents). The agency noted in its announcement that this is the first authorization of its kind, which it calls “a significant milestone in advancing American drone dominance and expanding the future of uncrewed aviation.”

The authorization was given to Skyways, a manufacturer and operator of long-range hybrid-VTOL aircraft. In this case, the company will be operating its V2 aircraft from Shell’s SPLC facility in Gibson, Louisiana to a Shell platform in the Gulf. According to the FAA’s release, the flight will include a pipeline right-of-way inspection and a simulated delivery of equipment to the platform demonstrate the potential for drones to support critical infrastructure and offshore operations.

“This first-of-its-kind authorization demonstrates how we are working with industry to move beyond traditional operating limitations and enable the next generation of commercial drone operations,” said acting FAA deputy administrator Liam McKenna.

This authorization happened under Section 927 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, which allows the FAA to approve some drone operations through a waiver as opposed to rulemaking or exemptions.

As the industry waits on a final Part 108 and routine BVLOS operations, this authorization shows what long-range flight over open water could look like for offshore energy work. Oil and gas is a major industry along the Gulf Coast, and pipeline inspection and equipment delivery to a platform are the kinds of tasks drones could take on alongside existing operations. 

Michael Kratsios, assistant to the president for science and technology and director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, described the authorization as a step toward a future where advanced drone operations are routine, and said the administration is working to establish a regulatory framework that enables them safely and at scale.