On Wednesday, FCC Chairman Brendon Carr announced that the Commission will consider final rules to authorize what it calls as “critical technologies” that will advance UAS and AAM applications. Specifically, the FCC will vote on an omnibus decision that would modernize rules to enable the next generation of connectivity networks for UAS in the 450 MHz band and aviation in the 800 MHz Air-Ground band. Additionally, the decision would provide regulatory certainty for C-UAS technology in the 24 GHz band. 

There are two votes to watch for in relation to this news. The first will be at its October 29 Open Meeting, at which the Commission will vote to open the 800 MHz Cellular band for UAS connectivity. This vote was initially announced earlier this month, on October 7, and if approved will allow UAS to utilize a spectrum of the Cellular band that carriers have held since the 1980s. The major carriers in the U.S. have shown support for the vote, and it is expected to pass.

The second vote will take place at the November 19 Open Meeting, where the full Commission will consider two orders that would take action in four areas.

The first area covers drone communications. The rules would open the 450 MHz band for safety-related data links between the ground and both crewed and uncrewed aircraft. They would replace site-by-site licensing with a nationwide licensing system intended to support drones and advanced air mobility. Current general aviation air-ground rules limit service in the band to voice communications for aircraft at high altitudes, which effectively prohibits data communications and wide-area, low-altitude service.

The second area is drone detection. The rules would allow ground-based radar systems to use the 24.45 to 24.65 GHz band to detect and track unauthorized or dangerous drones near airports, borders, prisons, stadiums, and critical infrastructure. These systems must avoid interfering with users that have priority in the band.

The third area is in-flight connectivity. The FCC would update rules for the 800 MHz air-ground band so providers can deliver broadband services more efficiently to commercial and other aircraft, while retaining protections for public-safety communications and other nearby spectrum users.

The fourth area covers satellite connectivity. The action would expand non-geostationary orbit Earth Stations in Motion operations across the 28.35 to 28.6 GHz band. This would support mobile broadband in remote and rural locations and provide connectivity to ships, planes, drones, blimps, cars, and other devices.

Carr said the agency is “cutting red tape and modernizing obsolete regulations” and called the planned votes a “win-win for drone users and the aviation industry alike.”