Welcome to the inaugural issue of The Preflight. Every week, we analyze the regulatory moves, flight technology shifts, and operational developments that directly impact Part 107 pilots and commercial flight leads.
OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
LEAD BRIEF: FAA Expands BEYOND Phase 2 With Up to Eight Additional Lead Participants
Flight-Ready Breakdown
FAA Press Release • August 27, 2026
What Changed
The FAA announced that it will select up to eight additional state, local, tribal, or territorial entities as lead participants in Phase 2 of the BEYOND program.
Who Is Affected
Part 107 commercial pilots, enterprise flight leads, municipal public safety drone units, survey crews, and infrastructure inspection operators seeking scalable BVLOS flight integration.
Why It Matters
Phase 1 (2020-2025) logged over 70,000 total flights, including 48,000+ BVLOS operations. The FAA confirms the program generates operational and safety data informing its ongoing BVLOS rulemaking.
Before Next Mission
Verify the current operating authority required for your flight area. Do not change operating procedures without confirming whether your mission requires a Part 107 waiver, exemption, or COA.
What Not to Assume
Do not assume BEYOND Phase 2 expansion creates new BVLOS authority for pilots outside the program. Operators must continue flying under the FAA authorization applicable to their operation unless and until a new regulatory pathway becomes effective.
RADAR: Concise Industry Intelligence
FINAL RULE — PENDING OIRA REVIEW
Part 108 Final Rule Remains Under White House Review
Following completion of the NPRM stage (published August 7, 2025), the FAA Part 108 Final Rule (RIN 2120-AL82) was received by OIRA on July 10, 2026. Multiple Executive Order 12866 inter-agency meetings occurred in August, with additional sessions scheduled through September.
Why it matters: The rulemaking is intended to establish a standardized regulatory pathway for routine BVLOS operations, reducing reliance on case-by-case approvals for operations that fall within the eventual rule.
FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW / RECORD OF DECISION
FAA Finalizes National Environmental Review for Drone Package Delivery
The FAA completed a national Programmatic Environmental Assessment for commercial drone package-delivery operations under Part 135 and signed a Finding of No Significant Impact/Record of Decision on July 28, 2026. Federal Register notice published July 30, 2026.
Why it matters: The programmatic review gives FAA a national environmental-analysis foundation it can use when considering future operator authorization requests, potentially reducing duplicated environmental analysis. FAA may still require project- or operation-specific NEPA documentation where additional analysis is necessary.
What Not to Assume: The environmental decision does not itself grant Part 135 certification, airspace authorization, BVLOS authority, or approval for a particular delivery operation.
MISSION NOTE: BVLOS Reality Check
Preflight Operational Checklist
- Know Your Authority — Confirm the FAA authority governing the mission you intend to fly.
- Check Mission-Specific Requirements — Verify any waiver, airspace authorization, certificate, COA, or other approval applicable to the operation.
- Don't Treat Policy News as Permission — BEYOND expansion and pending Part 108 rulemaking do not themselves authorize BVLOS flight.
- Verify Before Changing Procedures — Check the current FAA rule and authorization status before modifying operational procedures.
SOURCE DECK: Primary Regulatory Sources
- Federal Aviation Administration — FAA Launches BEYOND Phase 2 to Accelerate Drone Integration (Aug 27, 2026)
- Office of Information & Regulatory Affairs — RIN 2120-AL82 Executive Order Review Notice (OIRA Received July 10, 2026)
- Federal Aviation Administration / Federal Register — Final Programmatic Environmental Assessment & FONSI/ROD for Drone Delivery (Signed July 28, 2026 / FR Published July 30, 2026)
NEXT PREFLIGHT: Developments We Are Watching
- OIRA Activity on Part 108 Final Rule — Monitoring executive review progress for RIN 2120-AL82 and scheduled EO 12866 stakeholder meetings.
- BEYOND Phase 2 Participant Selections — Tracking official FAA announcements selecting the up to eight new lead participants when announced.