FCC reviews drone radio info collection paperwork
Published Date: 4/7/2025
Notice
Summary
The FCC is checking in on a new info collection about drone communications in a special radio band. Businesses, nonprofits, and local governments will share data to help the FCC manage this tech better. Comments are open until June 6, 2025, and the goal is to keep paperwork light and clear without costing too much time or money.
Analyzed Economic Effects
8 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 7 costs, 0 mixed.
Interim Access Requires FAA Concurrence and Online Registration
An Interim Access Mechanism lets NNA users transmit in 5040-5060 MHz before a DFMS begins operating, but users must first obtain concurrence from the FAA and then submit an online FCC registration form making required certifications (sections 88.35(b), 88.141(b)). For operations within the National Radio Quiet Zone (NRQZ), the FAA concurrence submission must state the date notification to the NRQZ Administrator was made or provide NRQZ Administrator approval.
Must Register with DFMS to Transmit
If you want to transmit in the 5040-5060 MHz Non-networked Access (NNA) band, you must register once with a Commission‑approved Dynamic Frequency Management System (DFMS). Registrations must include a party's legal name, contact information, and any other information required by the DFMS (see sections 88.27(c), 88.135(a)–(b)).
Request Short-Term Frequency Assignments
After registering, NNA users may submit requests to a DFMS for temporary frequency assignments limited to the duration and geographic coverage necessary for a single UAS flight (section 88.31(a)). You must comply with DFMS administrator instructions and keep assignment request information up to date until the scheduled operation (sections 88.31(c), 88.33(b)).
Must Certify FAA Flight and Pilot Authorizations
For each frequency assignment request, the NNA user must certify it has Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) flight authorization covering the flight and that any remote pilots involved have necessary FAA remote pilot authorization, to the extent required (section 88.135(h)).
NRQZ Notification Required for Assignments
Parties seeking frequency assignments that would operate in the National Radio Quiet Zone (NRQZ) must first notify the NRQZ Administrator (sections 88.31(d), 88.35).
DFMS Recordkeeping, Notifications, and Transfer Duties
DFMS administrators must retain all records for at least 60 months (section 88.135(q)), maintain exclusion-zone information to protect Microwave Landing Systems (section 88.135(p)), immediately notify the National Science Foundation when an approved assignment will support UAS operations within 25 miles of any of sixteen listed radio astronomy sites (section 88.135(x)), and securely transfer all DFMS information to a replacement administrator at term end (section 88.137(d)).
Estimated PRA Burden and Costs for Respondents
The FCC estimates 436 respondents and 8,326 responses for this information collection, with an estimated time per response between 0.25 and 10 hours, total annual burden of 4,219 hours, and total annual costs of $3,000. Comments on burden are requested by June 6, 2025.
DFMS Operators Must Be FCC‑Approved
Entities that will operate a DFMS (including 'protective' DFMS administrators) must apply to and be approved by the Commission before commencing DFMS operations (section noting protective DFMS administrators must apply and be approved).
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Key Dates
Department and Agencies
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