FCC Launches Sweeping Review of Drone Spectrum Policy, Seeks to Open Seven Frequency Bands for Commercial and Defense UAS Operations
Public Notice DA 26-314 invites industry comment on opening the 5030-5091 MHz, 960-1164 MHz, CBRS 3.5 GHz, 450 MHz, and 24 GHz bands to drone operations, creating innovation zones, and modernizing counter-UAS experimental licensing, with responses due May 1.
Overview
The Federal Communications Commission issued Public Notice DA 26-314 on April 1, 2026, opening a broad public comment period on spectrum access, licensing reform, and innovation infrastructure for the domestic drone industry, according to the FCC. The notice, titled “Unleashing American Drone Dominance,” is the commission’s most comprehensive UAS-focused spectrum proceeding to date, spanning seven frequency bands and proposing new experimental licensing categories, dedicated testing zones, and modernized counter-UAS authorization pathways.
The proceeding responds to two executive orders signed on June 6, 2025 — Unleashing American Drone Dominance (EO 14307) and Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty (EO 14305) — which directed all federal agencies to prioritize domestic UAS production, reduce dependence on foreign-manufactured systems, and cut regulatory barriers, according to the FCC document. Public comments are due May 1, 2026, with reply comments due May 18.
What We Know
The notice identifies seven frequency bands under active consideration for expanded drone operations. The 5030-5091 MHz band, designated for aeronautical mobile route service to support UAS control links in August 2024, is the most advanced candidate; the FCC currently offers temporary access to a 20 MHz slice at 5040-5060 MHz through FAA coordination, per the FCC document. The commission asks how to accelerate full deployment and whether to convene a Federal Advisory Committee to resolve outstanding technical questions in the band.
The FCC is also reconsidering the 960-1164 MHz band, which it declined to open for UAS in a 2020 report, and is evaluating whether the Citizens Broadband Radio Service at 3.5 GHz — which can technically support private LTE and 5G networks for drones but currently prohibits airborne use under Part 96 — should be made available, according to the FCC document. Additional bands under review include the 450 MHz range for long-range links, 24 GHz (24.45-24.65 GHz) for radar and detection following a petition by Echodyne, 800 MHz cellular for relaxed airborne restrictions, and existing unlicensed spectrum at 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has stated that the agency is “doing our part to promote U.S. drone leadership by cutting red tape, modernizing obsolete regulations, and securing a domestic drone supply chain,” as reported by the FCC. Carr visited Anduril Industries’ Texas test facility, framing drone production, deployment, and exports as “critical pillars of national security, technological sovereignty, and global competitiveness.”
On the licensing front, the notice proposes a dedicated UAS experimental license category with flexible terms, a tiered structure differentiating academic, commercial prototype, and production-scale testing, and blanket experimental authorizations for qualified developers within specified frequency bands and safety parameters, per the FCC document. It also floats a “plug-and-play” modular approach allowing applicants to select from pre-approved use cases and technical standards to streamline approvals.
For counter-UAS technology, the FCC acknowledges that current Part 5 rules limit counter-drone systems to research and development, and seeks comment on enabling commercial development while navigating restrictions in Section 333 of the Communications Act regarding willful radio interference, according to the FCC document. The commission has granted eight counter-UAS technology authorizations — described as first-time issuances at that level — alongside 227 experimental approvals for unmanned aircraft systems since January 2025, representing a 68 percent increase in conventional experimental license approvals compared to the 2021-2024 period.
The notice also proposes new innovation zones for UAS testing, building on the existing AERPAW platform at North Carolina State University established in 2021, and suggests zones for defense companies, testbeds over waterways, and sites in sparsely populated regions, per the FCC document. The FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act authorized Western and Eastern Regional Range Complexes for electromagnetic spectrum operations and UAS testing under Sections 227 and 1048.
Supply Chain Context
The spectrum review arrives as the FCC continues restricting foreign-manufactured drones. In December 2025, the commission added foreign-produced UAS and critical components to its Covered List on national security grounds, effectively blocking new FCC certifications for systems from manufacturers such as China’s DJI, which filed suit against the FCC on February 25, 2026, challenging its blacklisting. In March 2026, the FCC issued its first batch of conditional approvals for four specific UAS devices determined by the Department of War and DHS to pose no unacceptable risks, according to the FCC document. Mobilicom’s cybersecurity, hardware, and software solutions were among those included in the first batch of “Trusted Drones” exempted from Covered List restrictions, as GlobeNewsWire reported.
What We Don’t Know
Which of the seven frequency bands will ultimately be opened to drone operations remains uncertain. Each involves distinct technical challenges — the 960-1164 MHz band, for example, shares spectrum with existing aviation navigation systems — and the FCC’s final decisions will depend on interference studies, NTIA coordination, and industry input during the comment period.
How quickly the FCC can translate comment responses into enforceable rules is also unclear. The agency adopted initial service rules for the 5030-5091 MHz band in August 2024 but has not yet taken the implementing steps to put the spectrum into active use, suggesting that regulatory timelines may extend well beyond the comment deadline.
The impact of the counter-UAS licensing reforms on the broader telecommunications regulatory framework also remains to be determined. Section 333 of the Communications Act, which prohibits willful interference with radio communications, presents a fundamental legal barrier to drone-jamming technologies that the FCC cannot resolve unilaterally.