14 CFR Part 108 moves Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Operations from a patchwork of waivers to standardized authorizations. That shift matters because it opens the door to repeatable, airline-like drone operations that can scale across regions.
It also sets the stage for Digital Flight Rules (DFR), where digital coordination becomes a core part of staying safely separated. BVLOS means the pilot (or supervising team) cannot keep the unmanned aircraft in unaided sight for the whole flight.
That is a big change from “visual line of sight,” where a person can see hazards directly and react quickly. Under BVLOS, the safety story depends more on procedures, technology, and defined roles than on eyesight alone.
Think of it like the difference between driving on a quiet driveway versus managing a delivery van fleet on public roads with dispatch, tracking, and set rules. Part 108 is designed to normalize BVLOS at low altitudes with standard permissions that can apply nationwide.
Instead of asking for approval route by route, operators would use structured authorization pathways with defined safety and security conditions. DFR is the long-term direction: an operating mode where aircraft share intent and position digitally, and separation relies on data-driven coordination rather than visual scanning or voice radio instructions.
Official statements and regulatory milestones
A central document in this process is an NPRM, or Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. An NPRM is not final law; it is a proposal that explains what the rule would require, why agencies think it is needed, and how the public can comment.
Binding requirements come only after a final rule is issued and effective. The Department of Transportation (DOT) framed Part 108 as a way to remove outdated barriers while keeping safety central.
On August 5, 2025, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said the rule would “reform outdated regulations” while keeping U.S. skies safe. The message was about scaling real operations, not one-off demos.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) sits at the center of the aviation side. The proposal was signed by the FAA Administrator and the acting Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Ha McNeill, emphasizing performance-based regulations for low-altitude BVLOS.
Security appears alongside aviation requirements because BVLOS can carry higher consequences. On August 12, 2025, TSA explained that Security Threat Assessments (STAs) are tied to risk management.
The concern is not abstract: a person with bad intent could use a BVLOS operation for attacks or for prohibited cargo movement over neighborhoods. By January 23, 2026, the Part 108 effort had moved into late-stage implementation work.
For operators, that timing matters because staffing, technology procurement, and operating manuals take months to build.
Key facts and policy details under Part 108
Part 108’s structure is built around two authorization pathways. The idea is simple: match the approval type to the risk and complexity of the mission.
Permits are aimed at lower-risk operations. A common example is routine delivery routes in low-density areas, where ground risk is lower and the airspace picture is simpler.
A Permit path is meant to support repeatability without forcing each new corridor into a separate waiver file. Certificates are meant for higher-risk or more complex operations.
Picture urban BVLOS with heavier aircraft, more people below, tighter airspace, and more demanding contingency planning. Certificates are also the likely home for large-scale logistics networks that resemble airline dispatch in how they schedule, supervise, and audit flights.
Weight and mission scope expansion is a major operational change. Part 107’s small UAS model tops out at 55 pounds. Part 108 expands routine operations to aircraft up to 1,320 pounds. That single change broadens what “drone operations” can mean.
Heavier lift supports cargo logistics patterns and makes agricultural spraying with larger aircraft more feasible. Security vetting is also built in: TSA/DHS requires a TSA Level 3 STA for specific regulated roles, including Operations Supervisors and Flight Coordinators.
A Level 3 STA is meant to verify identity and assess security risk, including fingerprint-based checks. From an operator’s view, this functions like a gating item for onboarding: you can train someone fast, but you cannot compress vetting timelines the same way.
Fatigue rules appear because BVLOS scales like a shift-based operation. Part 108 includes a 14-hour duty period limit and a 10-hour consecutive rest period. That mirrors crew-style thinking.
The goal is straightforward: reduce error risk when teams supervise flights for long periods, often with screens, alerts, and handoffs. Technology is not treated as optional. Remote ID is part of the accountability layer, and Part 108 adds a BVLOS-status flag via Remote ID.
Detect-and-Avoid (DAA) is the safety layer that helps an unmanned aircraft stay separated from other airspace users. Together, Remote ID plus DAA support scalable BVLOS and future digital deconfliction.
Part 108 authorization pathways and key thresholds (summary)
- Permits: Cover lower-risk commercial or public operations with simpler risk profiles; examples include low-density area deliveries and linear inspections over sparse terrain. Key thresholds: aircraft up to 1,320 pounds; duty/rest limits of 14-hour duty and 10-hour rest; Remote ID with BVLOS-status flag; DAA expected.
- Certificates: Cover higher-risk, complex, or large-scale operators; examples include urban BVLOS logistics and heavier aircraft missions in dense operating areas. Key thresholds: aircraft up to 1,320 pounds; TSA Level 3 STA required for Operations Supervisors and Flight Coordinators; duty/rest matches Permit limits; Remote ID plus DAA integration.
Part 107 vs Part 108: scope and vetting (summary)
- Operating model: Part 107 is visual-line baseline with limited BVLOS via waivers; Part 108 is a standardized BVLOS framework aimed at nationwide repeatability.
- Aircraft weight: Part 107 tops at 55 pounds; Part 108 expands to 1,320 pounds.
- Approvals: Part 107 is waiver-driven for many BVLOS cases; Part 108 uses Permits and Certificates tied to operational risk.
- Security vetting: Part 107 has no TSA Level 3 STA framework for BVLOS staffing; Part 108 includes TSA Level 3 STA for Operations Supervisors and Flight Coordinators.
- Fatigue rules: Part 107 lacks a structured duty/rest system like crew operations; Part 108 sets a 14-hour duty limit and 10-hour rest.
- Digital accountability and separation: Remote ID requirements vary under Part 107 contexts; Part 108 includes a Remote ID BVLOS-status flag and treats DAA as a core scaling tool.
Context: Path to Digital Flight Rules (DFR)
DFR is best understood as a third operating mode alongside VFR and IFR. VFR relies on seeing and avoiding; IFR relies on instruments and air traffic control separation services.
DFR, conceptually, relies on digital information exchange for separation and coordination. In practice, that means deconfliction becomes more “strategic”: operators share where an aircraft is and where it intends to go, then automated systems help prevent conflicts before they happen.
For BVLOS, that is the difference between managing one special flight and managing thousands. ADSPs (Automated Data Service Providers) matter in this setup: they move and coordinate operational data and act as the connective tissue between operators and the broader low-altitude traffic picture.
Interoperability is the key idea: if each operator uses data differently, digital separation breaks down. Part 108’s Remote ID and DAA expectations fit this direction: Remote ID supports identification and tracking, DAA supports separation behavior, and digital deconfliction connects the pieces into an operating system for low-altitude airspace.
Impact on affected individuals and organizations
Commercial operators stand to gain predictable scaling. Standard permissions reduce the need to seek route-by-route waivers, making costs easier to forecast for companies building logistics networks with fixed service levels.
Staffing models also change. BVLOS requires defined oversight, and Part 108 names regulated roles like Operations Supervisors and Flight Coordinators. TSA Level 3 STA requirements add a real timeline factor to hiring.
Training can be scheduled, but vetting has to be planned. Public safety organizations get clearer repeatable authority for time-sensitive missions: search and rescue, disaster response, and damage assessment often cannot wait for special approvals.
A standardized framework supports accountability while still allowing speed.
✅ What commercial operators should prepare for first: map each mission to Permits vs Certificates, outline TSA vetting steps for Operations Supervisors and Flight Coordinators, and plan for Remote ID/DAA readiness.
Primary documents and where to find them (FAA, DOT, TSA, NASA)
A short list of primary references is enough for most compliance planning. Use the FAA Part 108 NPRM for proposed requirements language and defined terms.
Federal Register: Normalizing UAS BVLOS Operations
Use the DOT fact sheet for the high-level rationale and public messaging around scaling and safety.
DOT Briefing Room: Unleashing American Drone Dominance
Use TSA redress resources for correction and redress steps tied to TSA processes.
For technical background on digital airspace, consult NASA’s DFR research materials.
NASA: Digital Flight Rules White Paper
Agency roles and immigration/work eligibility note for foreign BVLOS operators
Aviation authorization and immigration/work eligibility are separate compliance areas. Foreign staff must meet both. The FAA handles operational safety rules and the authorization structure under 14 CFR Part 108.
TSA/DHS handles the security side, including TSA Level 3 STA vetting for Operations Supervisors and Flight Coordinators. USCIS is not directly involved in issuing Part 108 authorizations or deciding who can conduct BVLOS from an aviation standpoint.
Work authorization is a separate legal gate: a person can be qualified and vetted for an aviation role, yet still be unable to work in the U.S. without proper work authorization. For employers, that split affects onboarding plans for foreign nationals who would be paid for BVLOS roles.
Aviation permissions do not replace immigration compliance; treat them as parallel tracks with different timelines and different documentation standards.
Part 108 is pushing BVLOS toward repeatable, shift-based operations with security vetting, fatigue limits, and digital separation tools. Organizations that want scale should lock in role design, TSA/DHS vetting workflows, and Remote ID/DAA capability now, before growth forces rushed decisions.
FAA and TSA Advance 14 CFR Part 108 to Digital Flight Rules (dfr) Bvlos
Part 108 transitions BVLOS drone operations into a repeatable regulatory framework, moving away from case-by-case waivers. It introduces two authorization paths—Permits and Certificates—based on operational risk and aircraft weight up to 1,320 pounds. The rule emphasizes safety through TSA vetting, fatigue management, and digital coordination tools like Remote ID and DAA, ultimately supporting the transition to a data-driven Digital Flight Rules environment for low-altitude airspace.
