The United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted a waiver to support the testing of commercial wireless networks for mission-critical aviation safety services. It applies to US states excluding Alaska and Hawaii.
The testing is part of the US Department of Transportation’s Mobile Network Aviation Assessment Program (MNAAP). FCC says the conditional, temporary waiver will enable approved mobile broadband providers and MNAAP participants to transmit radio frequency (RF) signals to and from participating airborne mobile devices.
FCC is currently pursuing spectrum management reforms to promote a competitive connectivity marketplace for uncrewed aerial systems (UAS). The agency plans to use lessons learned from MNAAP, which is exploring whether commercial wireless networks, satellite direct-to-device services and sidelink technology can support aviation-based safety services, including electronic conspicuity, remote identification, counter-UAS detection and identification, UAS command and control, and autonomous detection and avoidance applications. MNAAP testing is expected to take place until 30 September 2029 and the new FCC waiver expires 1 October 2029.
FCC says that the limited number of MNAAP participants transmitting on the spectrum while distributed across the US is “unlikely to pose a significant or widespread risk of harmful interference to terrestrial networks”.
For more information
Federal Communications Commission
Image: Shutterstock