The FCC has adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to support advanced air mobility systems, a segment of the aviation industry that uses crewed and uncrewed aircraft to provide transportation of people and cargo. The NPRM seeks comment on changes to spectrum rules to support innovation, growth, and safety needs of this sector and other uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS), such as drones. The NPRM proposes: (1) opening-up the 450 MHz band to aeronautical command and control operations and allowing for single, nationwide license in the band; (2) adopting flexible licensing, operating, and technical rules that will facilitate use of the band at a range of altitudes while minimizing interference to neighboring operations; and (3) expanding radiolocation operations in the 24.45-24.65 GHz band for drone detection operations. Furthermore, the NPRM proposes to modernize the Commission’s rules for Commercial Aviation Air-Ground Systems in the 849-851 and 894-896 MHz band, which is used for in-flight connectivity.
