On 29 October 2026 the Federal Communications Commission unanimously adopted a Report and Order (FCC 26-72) opening the 800 MHz cellular band to drones. The band covers 824–849 MHz and 869–894 MHz, a total of 50 MHz of licensed, nationwide, low-band spectrum.
Undoing an old rule
Section 22.925 of the FCC's rules, codified in 1991, bans airborne use of cellular equipment in the band. It was meant to stop phones on aircraft interfering with ground towers, but in practice it also kept drones out. The adopted text adds a line saying the ban does not apply to uncrewed aircraft. It also adds a footnote to the US frequency table allowing drones to use the band on a primary basis. The ban on using phones aboard aircraft stays.
The FCC says modern networks, built to 3GPP standards from Release 15 onwards, can identify drones, report their height and manage interference. AT&T, Verizon, CTIA, Qualcomm and Ericsson all supported the change.
What it does and doesn't do
The order expects uses such as precision agriculture, utility and pipeline inspection, search and rescue, wildfire monitoring and last-mile delivery. It does not authorise any flight. Drones remain subject to FAA rules, and the FAA's Part 108 rule for routine beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations is still under White House review. The order takes effect 30 days after it is published in the Federal Register.
Most consumer drones use unlicensed 2.4 and 5.8 GHz links and are unaffected.
Why it matters financially
The order gives mobile operators a new, licensed revenue line from drone connectivity, and gives delivery and inspection operators a reliable long-range link. Commercial value depends on the FAA's BVLOS rule landing, but the spectrum part of the US drone economy is now in place.