As of October 6, the federal government shutdown enters its sixth day. For most Americans, the visible effects are still limited, but for the aviation sector—and particularly the drone industry—the timing is significant. Today also marks the close of the public comment period on the Federal Aviation Administration’s long-awaited proposed rule for routine flight beyond […]
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Part 108 NPRM and the Two Camps of the Drone Industry: Lessons from Commercial UAV Expo 2025 By DRONELIFE Contributing Editor Paul Rossi Last week, I attended my fourth straight Commercial UAV Expo in Las Vegas, NV. This year’s event was especially notable, not only for the conversations happening on the show floor, but also […]
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Massachusetts lawmakers propose package of new drone rules By DRONELIFE Features Editor Jim Magill A package of six bills making their way through the Massachusetts legislature could have profound negative impacts on future drone operations in the Commonwealth, representatives of the commercial UAV industry say. Advocates and opponents of the proposed legislation made their opinions […]
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At the AUVSI Drone and AAM Policy Symposium held July 29–30 in Washington, D.C., industry and government leaders gathered to discuss the future of uncrewed aircraft integration. The annual event brings stakeholders together to explore policy developments, with sessions covering regulatory progress, industry challenges, and what’s next for advanced drone operations. Two key sessions addressed […]
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(News and Commentary) Today marks exactly 31 days since President Trump’s executive orders on drone technology were published, making this the first day past the ambitious 30-day deadline for the FAA to issue the much-anticipated Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). As the drone industry holds its collective breath, the […]
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Communication, cooperation keys to successful drone disaster response by DRONELIFE Features Editor Jim Magill As unmanned aircraft are increasingly used as tools in response to natural disasters, there is a growing need for better communication and cooperation among federal and state and local emergency responders, private company volunteers, casual drone pilots and the public at […]
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Industry leaders at XPONENTIAL 2025 emphasize that Safety Management Systems are essential—and scalable—for all drone operations, from startups to major carriers. By DRONELIFE Contributing Editor Paul Rossi At XPONENTIAL 2025, a panel of aviation safety experts from the FAA, Amazon Prime Air, Causey Aviation Unmanned and UPS Flight Forward gathered to discuss a crucial topic […]
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After years of anticipation and industry advocacy, the U.S. is finally seeing movement on a federal rule that could transform commercial drone operations: the Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) rule. This long-awaited regulation aims to allow drones to fly beyond the operator’s direct line of sight without the need for individual waivers, unlocking large-scale […]
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Texas company proposes use of drones armed with non lethal weapons to thwart school shootings By DRONELIFE Features Editor Jim Magill An Austin-based company is hoping to be able to deploy drones equipped with non-lethal weapons, such as pepper spray and flash-bang grenades, in Texas schools as a way to combat the wave of school […]
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New Certificate of Waiver (COW) Process Streamlines Approvals for Public Safety Agencies A Significant Shift in Regulatory Framework The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has introduced a groundbreaking update to the regulatory process for Drone as First Responder (DFR) operations. Chief (Ret.) Charles Werner of DRONERESPONDERS has described these changes as the most significant since 2016. […]
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