FCC opens 50 MHz of cellular spectrum to drones: what changes for US pilots

Terasor TeamNovember 9, 2026
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On 29 October 2026 the Federal Communications Commission voted to let drones use the 800 MHz cellular band, ending a 1991 rule that kept the band off limits to anything airborne. For many working pilots nothing changes today. The decision matters mainly for drones that carry their own cellular modem. This article covers the United States only and is correct as at 9 November 2026.

What the FCC decided

Chairman Carr and Commissioners Gomez and Trusty approved the Report and Order, FCC 26-72, which the FCC released on 30 October. It covers 50 megahertz of spectrum in two blocks, 824 to 849 MHz and 869 to 894 MHz, and allows uncrewed aircraft to use it for command and control, communications and payload links.

The FCC made two rule changes. It added a paragraph to section 22.925 of its rules saying the airborne ban does not apply to uncrewed aircraft or uncrewed aircraft systems using cellular frequencies. It also added a footnote to the US Table of Frequency Allocations giving drone use of the two blocks primary status in the mobile service.

The ban on passengers using mobile phones in airborne aircraft stays in place.

Why the rule existed

The FCC set licensing rules for 800 MHz cellular service in 1981. In 1984 it adopted a policy against airborne use, and in 1991 it wrote that policy into section 22.925. The concern was phones on aircraft, which can see many base stations at once and so interfere with networks on the ground.

The order finds that modern networks and standards, including drone features added from 3GPP Release 15 onward, now manage that risk. It also notes that other mobile bands, such as 700 MHz and PCS, never had an airborne ban.

The conditions that come with it

The FCC did not add new power or height limits. Some commenters asked for reduced power or altitude caps, and the order declined them. Drone use is instead subject to the existing cellular rules, and those matter:

  • The band is licensed to mobile carriers. Under the cellular rules, a mobile device communicates with and through base stations, and drone use is limited to licensed service areas.
  • A drone used as a base station is subject to the existing power and field strength limits.
  • In the 890 to 894 MHz part of the band, drone use must not cause harmful interference to, and cannot claim protection from, stations operating under international radio regulations.
  • Carriers stay bound by existing coordination rules around radio quiet zones, and the FCC expects drone use to coexist with services in the neighbouring 817 to 824 MHz and 862 to 869 MHz bands.

When it takes effect

The order takes effect 30 days after it is published in the Federal Register. As at 9 November 2026 it had not been published, so the effective date is not yet known.

What it does not change

The order says operators remain subject to existing and future FAA rules. It authorises spectrum use, not flights. Under Part 107, the remote pilot or a visual observer must be able to see the drone throughout the flight. Flying beyond visual line of sight needs an FAA waiver, which section 107.205 allows for. A cellular link does not change that.

The FAA's wider rule for flights beyond visual line of sight, proposed as Part 108, is a separate process. Section 930 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 requires a final rule within 16 months of the proposal being published. The proposal appeared in the Federal Register on 7 August 2025, which puts that deadline at 7 December 2026. As at 9 November 2026 no final rule had been published.

Who it matters for

Many camera drones link to their controller over their own radio, not a mobile network. When a live stream goes out through a phone or controller on the ground, that device was never covered by the old rule, which applies to aircraft that are airborne, meaning not touching the ground. For these setups, nothing changes.

The change matters for drones and kits that carry their own cellular modem. Skydio's X10 page, for example, describes a mode that blends the drone's own radio link with a cellular connection, working on 5G and LTE networks and requiring a cellular plan. Whether a particular drone or modem uses the 800 MHz band depends on its hardware and on the carrier. The order does not require any change to existing equipment.

Carriers may now offer drone services on this band. Commenters told the FCC that 800 MHz signals carry well in rural and suburban areas, and the order lists uses such as precision agriculture, pipeline inspection and search and rescue. If you fly with a cellular link, ask your manufacturer and carrier whether and when this band will be supported.

Where to read more

Terasor Team

Notes on drone regulation, equipment and the working side of aerial services, for the people who fly and the people who hire them. Terasor is a platform for professional drone services and aerial content.

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