HANGAR TALK UAS & eVTOL NEWS RELATING TO UNCREWED, AAM & EVTOL SYSTEMS
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy Announces Major Expansion of FAA BEYOND Program to Advance Drone Innovation
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy recently announced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is launching Phase 2 of the BEYOND program to expand the agency’s efforts to integrate drones into the national airspace system (NAS) and secure America’s leadership in aviation innovation.
The FAA will double the program’s current size by selecting up to eight additional state, local, tribal and territorial entities to serve as lead participants, significantly expanding advanced drone operations across the country.
“America leads the world in aviation, and this expansion will help keep it that way,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “Under President Trump’s leadership, this Department is cutting through barriers, advancing innovation and making sure the next generation of aviation technology is developed, tested and built right here in the United States.”
“As drone technology continues to advance, the FAA is focused on building a regulatory framework that is safe, scalable and grounded in real-world data,” said FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford. “Phase 2 of BEYOND will expand the partnerships and operations needed to address remaining challenges in beyond visual line of sight operations, public safety missions, on-airport operations and other complex airspace environments.”
The expansion builds on the success of two programs from the first Trump administration: the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program, launched in 2017, and BEYOND Phase 1, which began in 2020. Together, the programs established a strong model for collaboration among federal, state, local, tribal and territorial governments and industry to safely advance drone operations in the United States.
Authorized under Section 920 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, BEYOND Phase 2 will expand participation and support more advanced drone operations. New lead participants will help the FAA address the remaining challenges to safely scale routine drone operations in the National Airspace System.
Screening information and additional details on the application process are available now.
The BEYOND program helps integrate drones, and other emerging technologies into the NAS under established rules rather than waivers. Originally launched in October 2020, the BEYOND program succeeded the Integration Pilot Program.
During BEYOND Phase 1, participants logged more than 70,000 flights, including more than 48,000 beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations. The program generated critical real-world operational and safety data that informed the FAA’s upcoming BVLOS rule and helped move drone regulation away from case-by-case approvals toward clear, performance-based standards.
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Sept/Oct 2026
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