New FCC drone rules will let drones communicate over 50 MHz of the 800 MHz cellular band, spectrum they have been barred from using for 35 years.
The Federal Communications Commission voted 3-0 on Thursday, Oct. 29, to remove the restriction that kept drones off the band. Chairman Brendan Carr and Commissioners Anna Gomez and Olivia Trusty approved the order.
Drones can now use the spectrum for command, control, communications and payload operations.
Why Drones Were Kept Off the Band
The FCC set its original rules for 800 MHz cellular service in 1981. In 1991, it banned airborne use of the band to reduce the risk of interference from cellphones on airplanes. That ban also kept drones from using the spectrum.
The FCC said the restriction is no longer needed for drones because modern wireless networks use advanced technology to prevent interference with cellular service on the ground.
“By fixing these rules, we give drone operators a new source of spectrum and open up new business models for aerial connectivity,” Carr said.
Carr said the spectrum had been held back from aerial use by technical rules written in the 1990s.
11 organizations backed the change before the vote, including AT&T, Verizon, Amazon and the wireless industry group CTIA. CTIA said the added spectrum will help support drone flights beyond an operator’s visual line of sight.
What Comes Next
The change does not alter Federal Aviation Administration requirements for flying drones. Routine flights beyond an operator’s line of sight still depend on a new FAA rule, known as Part 108, which federal law requires the FAA to issue by Dec. 7, 2026.
The new FCC rules take effect after they are published in the Federal Register.
The FCC is scheduled to vote Nov. 19 on more drone spectrum changes, including 450 MHz control links and 24 GHz radar for detecting drones.
Drones in Arkansas
The rules apply nationwide, including in Arkansas, where police departments are adding drones. Benton police announced a Drone as First Responder trial program in September, and contract details for Sherwood’s police drone program were released in October.
Related stories on ArkansasRadio.com:
Police Department Announces Drone Trial Program In Benton, Arkansas
Details Released For Surveillance Drone Program In Sherwood, Arkansas
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