Editorial Comic: The Part 108 Regulatory Football

For ten years, commercial drone operators have lined up, taken a determined running start, and swung with all their might at the promise of routine Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flight.

And every single time�just as the remote pilot is about to connect�the regulatory football is pulled away.

First came the initial Part 107 waiver backlog. Then the 2022 BVLOS Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) recommendations. Then Section 2209 critical infrastructure rulemaking delays. Now, with proposed Part 108 navigating inter-agency reviews and OMB clearance alongside adjacent automated data service provider mandates under proposed Part 146, the industry finds itself flat on its back once again.

"Don't worry, Charlie Brown," says the waiver desk with an encouraging smile. "Just sign this small stack of forms here... and wait for another 18-month economic study!"

Related Rulemaking Deep Dive

Read our comprehensive analysis of the regulatory chronology and what proposed Part 108 means today:

Part 108 BVLOS Rule Advances to OIRA Review: What It Means Today →