The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is moving forward with efforts to support the development and deployment of advanced air mobility systems intended to foster an increase in accessible and convenient transportation options for people and cargo.
The Commission’s detailed plan, presented in a nearly 75-page-long Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) issued in mid-January, proposes expanding the 450 MHz band of the spectrum to accommodate aeronautical command and control operations. In addition, the Notice also calls for expanding radiolocation operations in the 24.45-24.65 MHz band for drone detection.
Finally, the NPRM proposes the adoption of more flexible licensing, operating, and technical rules to facilitate the use of the band over a range of altitudes while minimizing interference to spectrum-adjacent operations.
The FCC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on spectrum use of advanced air mobility technologies is available at https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-25-7A1.pdf. Comments on the NPRM can be filed through mid-February at the Commission’s Electronic Filing System (ECFS) at https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/ (Reference WT Docket No. 24-629).
