The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is proposing rules that would more effectively support wireless communications with drones and other unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).
In a Proposed Notice of Rulemaking, the FCC is seeking comment on service rules that would provide UAS operators with access to licensed spectrum in the 5030-5091 MHz band to support safety-critical UAS communications links.
At present, no spectrum is licensed in the U.S. exclusively for UAS communications use. Instead, operators have generally relied on unlicensed operations or experimental licenses. However, these options do not provide users with protection from harmful interference, potentially affecting the reliability of essential UAS communications.
As UAS operations expand to include activities with a higher risk profile, the Commission sees the increasing importance of access to interference-protected licensed spectrum for UAS wireless communications. Hence, the decision to issue the proposed service rules.
Comments on the FCC’s proposed rules can be filed electronically through the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) (reference Docket No. 22-323).
