Drone Conditional Approvals
The FCC Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB) updates the Covered List to exempt UAS and UAS critical components receiving Department of War (DoW) Conditional Approvals, while publishing the current Covered List and related approval lists.
What it does PSHSB treats each DoW Conditional Approval as a “specific determination” that the covered device does not pose unacceptable risks to U.S. national security and U.S. persons, and therefore removes those devices from the Covered List. The notice confirms approvals for Blueflite’s Cobalt 461 and related components, Verity AG’s Series 4 Indoor Autonomous Inventory System, and Air VEV’s 120C and 060C systems. Its updated appendices also identify previously approved UAS and router products, including devices from SiFly, Mobilicom, ScoutDI, Verge, Sees.ai, Air6 System, Elevon Aerial, Netgear, Adtran, eero, Calix, and Nokia.
Who it affects The action affects manufacturers, importers, equipment authorization applicants, testing laboratories, and Telecommunications Certification Bodies dealing with foreign-produced UAS, UAS critical components, or routers subject to the Covered List. It also provides guidance context for FCC staff reviewing authorization-related questions.
Why it matters The notice demonstrates that the Covered List is dynamic: foreign-produced UAS and covered routers remain generally listed, but specific DoW or Department of Homeland Security determinations create product-level exemptions. The exemptions permit the identified equipment to fall outside the Covered List during the stated approval periods.
Key dates and numbers
- Released May 26, 2026; DA 26-524.
- Dockets: WC 18-89, ET 21-232, and EA 21-233.
- The newly identified UAS approvals run through December 31, 2026.
- The notice’s Covered List identifies the foreign-produced UAS category as added December 22, 2025, with updates on January 7, March 18, and May 26, 2026.
- Router approvals listed in Appendix B extend into 2027, including Netgear approvals through October 1, 2027, and other approvals through October 31, 2027.