Ruling Would Allow Drones to Operate Beyond Visual Line of Sight

The US Department of Transportation has officially dropped a long-anticipated rule that could change the game for American drone operators. Unveiled August 6 by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, the new proposed rule would (finally) allow unmanned aircraft to fly beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) without case-by-case exemptions.

"We are making the future of our aviation a reality and unleashing American drone dominance. From drones delivering medicine to unmanned aircraft surveying crops, this technology will fundamentally change the way we interact with the world," said Duffy. Our new rule will reform outdated regulations that were holding innovators back while also enhancing safety in our skies.”

Under current rules, operators must apply for individual BVLOS waivers to conduct most commercial drone flights, including delivering packages, monitoring crops, or inspecting infrastructure. The new rule would eliminate that bottleneck, replacing it with a nationwide framework to scale commercial operations while standardizing safety requirements.

The FAA’s rule lays out a structured pathway for both low-risk and more complex drone missions, allowing use cases from medical delivery to precision agriculture. Drones up to 1,320 pounds can be approved without going through the usual airworthiness certification process, as long as manufacturers meet FAA-endorsed safety standards.

"Normalizing BVLOS flights is key to realizing drones’ societal and economic benefits," explained FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. "Package delivery, agriculture, aerial surveying, public safety, recreation, and flight testing are just some of the uses we expect to see as we enable these innovative technologies while maintaining the safety of our National Airspace System."

Operators will need to use, or become, FAA-approved Automated Data Service Providers to help track drones and prevent conflicts in the air. There are also mandates for cybersecurity safeguards, flight coordination roles, and detailed recordkeeping for every drone flight, plus restrictions on large gatherings of people.

The FAA has opened a 60-day public comment period and released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)... along with a fact sheet to help the industry digest the changes without reading the full 700+ page legislation.

FMI: www.faa.gov