The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is launching Phase 2 of the BEYOND programme to expand the agency’s efforts to integrate drones into the national airspace system (NAS). The BEYOND programme helps integrate drones, and other emerging technologies into the NAS under established rules rather than waivers.
The FAA will double the programme’s current size by selecting up to eight additional state, local, tribal and territorial entities to serve as lead participants. A solicitation has been launched on the US government procurement portal SAM.gov.
“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 Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration pilot programme, launched in 2017, and BEYOND Phase 1, which began in 2020. Authorized under Section 920 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, BEYOND Phase 2 will expand participation and support more advanced drone operations. The FAA says new lead participants will help the agency address the remaining challenges to safely scale routine drone operations in the NAS.
According to the new solicitation notice, BEYOND Phase 2 has four programmatic focus areas: infrastructure, scalability, safety and automation. Five operational focus areas have also been identified, namely: public safety, controlled airspace, remote, rural areas with inadequate infrastructure, on-airport operations and cross international borders.
The FAA is seeking new participants who can support the BEYOND Phase 2 focus areas. The solicitation notes that the agency intends to award eight contracts but that additional awards may be made if resources allow.
Among the information required, interested state, local, tribal and territorial entities should identify their specific plans and the desired end goals, describe who will be impacted by the goal, specify the exact type of drone operation(s) to be conducted, outline resources required and identify the industry partners/third-party vendors involved.
Proposals are invited by September 10.
“During BEYOND Phase 1, participants logged more than 70,000 flights, including more than 48,000 beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations,” the FAA said. “The programme 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.”
For more information
FAA solicitation notice at SAM.gov
Image: FAA