UNCREWED UPDATE from AUVSI
FAA Data Confirms What the Drone Industry Knows: BVLOS Rulemaking Is Urgently Needed
Recent FAA data confirms what the drone industry has known for years: the lack of a permanent Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) rule is holding back progress across multiple sectors, from public safety and emergency response to infrastructure inspection and delivery.
According to AUVSI’s Business Intelligence tool, FAA-approved waivers under Part 107 spiked by 256% in 2024 compared to the previous year. Of those 809 approvals, 203 (25%) were for BVLOS operations. This growth highlights strong demand across 39 industries and 46 states where uncrewed systems are delivering lifesaving services, cutting costs, and improving operational efficiency.
The FAA deserves credit for enabling BVLOS through a waiver-based, risk- informed approach.
These temporary
approvals have allowed operators to demonstrate the safety, reliability, and real- world value of BVLOS missions. Still, the growing volume of waivers also reveals the limits of this system. What was intended as a short-term mechanism has become a complex, resource-intensive workaround.
Waivers are not a long-term strategy. Processing hundreds of individual BVLOS applications each year is time-consuming for both government and industry. It slows the pace of innovation, limits scalability, and creates uncertainty for businesses looking to invest and expand. A permanent BVLOS rule would streamline operations, establish uniform safety standards, and eliminate the need for redundant waiver applications.
The consequences of already being felt.
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As other countries move forward with enabling regulations, U.S. companies are left navigating a fragmented landscape. The absence of a rule creates planning challenges for businesses and deters long-term investment. In sectors like public safety, where rapid drone deployment can save lives, delays in BVLOS policy have tangible consequences.
BVLOS operations are no longer experimental; they’re essential. There are now active BVLOS waivers in 46 states spanning 39 industries including:
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Public Safety & Emergency Response: Deploying drones immediately to disaster zones for search-and-rescue and damage assessment.
• • •
Agriculture: Conducting precise crop monitoring and reducing input costs.
Energy & Infrastructure: Inspecting pipelines and power lines more safely and efficiently.
Logistics & Delivery: Unlocking new efficiencies for delivery and supply chain management in rural and urban areas.
Moving the BVLOS-enabling rule forward, as AUVSI wrote to the White House in January, would align with broader efforts to modernize regulatory frameworks, reduce administrative burdens, and fuel economic growth. A single, comprehensive rule would give industry the clarity and consistency it needs while freeing up FAA resources for other safety and integration initiatives. American companies, public
safety
agencies, and communities stand to benefit from a clear path forward. The data speaks for itself: the demand is here. It’s time to meet it with a policy that enables progress.
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18
Mar/Apr 2025
VLOS 14 CFR 107.31 waivers by year
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