The FCC has adopted a Report and Order to enable initial drone operations in the 5 GHz band for wireless communications necessary to safely control the flights of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The Commission has established initial service rules that allow operators to obtain direct frequency assignments in a portion of the 5030-5091 MHz band for non-networked operations. Under these rules, dynamic frequency management systems will manage and coordinate access to the spectrum and provide requesting operators with temporary frequency assignments to support UAS control link communications with a level of reliability suitable for operations in controlled airspace and other safety-critical circumstances.
Additionally, to enable operations before the dynamic frequency management systems are in operation, the Commission has established an interim access mechanism in which operators first submit a request to the Federal Aviation Administration for deconfliction and approval, and, upon FAA authorization, complete an online registration form with the Commission.
