WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The Federal Aviation Administration has launched Phase 2 of the BEYOND program to expand the agency's efforts to integrate drones into the national airspace system.
The FAA will double the program's current size by selecting up to eight additional state, local, tribal and territorial entities to serve as lead participants, significantly expanding advanced drone operations across the country.
'America leads the world in aviation, and this expansion will help keep it that way,' said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. 'Under President Trump's leadership, this Department is cutting through barriers, advancing innovation, and making sure the next generation of aviation technology is developed, tested and built right here in the United States.'
The expansion builds on the success of two programs from the first Trump administration: the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program, launched in 2017, and BEYOND Phase 1, which began in 2020. Together, the programs established a strong model for collaboration among federal, state, local, tribal and territorial governments and industry to safely advance drone operations in the United States.
During BEYOND Phase 1, participants logged more than 70,000 flights, including more than 48,000 beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations. The program 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.
BEYOND Phase 2 will expand participation and support more advanced drone operations. New lead participants will help the FAA address the remaining challenges to safely scale routine drone operations in the National Airspace System, FAA said in a press release.
Copyright(c) 2026 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2026 AFX News
