Notice2026-18124
Notice Soliciting Representatives for Technical Roundtables on Security of Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operating Beyond the Visual Line of Sight
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
September 4, 2026
Issuing agencies
Homeland Security DepartmentTransportation Security Administration
Abstract
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is soliciting individuals to participate in technical roundtables that will provide input to TSA relevant to the development of model language for TSA- approved security programs that will provide for the secure operation of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). These roundtables will be closed to the public. Participation is limited and all participants must be validated by TSA as a representative of either a UAS BVLOS operator or an industry association representing these operators or subset of operators, as discussed later in this notice. Participants must obtain approval from TSA for access to Sensitive Security Information (SSI).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 171 (Friday, September 4, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 171 (Friday, September 4, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56894-56895]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-18124]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Transportation Security Administration
RIN 1652-AA80
Notice Soliciting Representatives for Technical Roundtables on
Security of Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operating Beyond the Visual Line
of Sight
AGENCY: Transportation Security Administration, DHS.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is soliciting
individuals to participate in technical roundtables that will provide
input to TSA relevant to the development of model language for TSA-
approved security programs that will provide for the secure operation
of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS).
These roundtables will be closed to the public. Participation is
limited and all participants must be validated by TSA as a
representative of either a UAS BVLOS operator or an industry
association representing these operators or subset of operators, as
discussed later in this notice. Participants must obtain approval from
TSA for access to Sensitive Security Information (SSI).
DATES: Requests to participate in the technical roundtables must be
received by the individual listed in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
section. October 19, 2026. TSA may modify the registration period
following publication of the forthcoming TSA final rule. These
technical roundtables may be held in-person with a virtual attendance
option or virtually only. See Participation at the Meeting below for
information on how to register to attend the meeting. TSA will provide
participation and other information to qualified participants in
advance of the meeting.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kristine Adams, Transportation
Security Administration, 6595 Springfield Center Drive, Springfield, VA
20598-6028; telephone (571) 227-2062; email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#692b3f25263a291d1a08470d011a470e061f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="c785918b889487b3b4a6e9a3afb4e9a0a8b1">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
On August 7, 2025, TSA and the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) issued a joint notice of proposed rulemaking, Normalizing
Unmanned Aircraft Systems Beyond Visual Line of Sight Operations,
proposing performance-based regulations to enable the safe and secure
integration of UAS BVLOS operations into the national airspace system
and for third-party services that support these operations, including
providing UAS Traffic Management.\1\
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\1\ 90 FR 38212 (Aug. 7, 2025).
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As part of the notice of proposed rulemaking, TSA proposed
requirements to address the security of UAS BVLOS operations that would
be authorized under 14 CFR part 108. TSA's proposed security provisions
broadly consisted of two pieces: vetting of certain covered personnel
and the requirement that certain operators maintain a TSA-approved
security program. TSA is in the process of finalizing its regulatory
requirements, in coordination with the FAA, to enable the secure
operation of UAS BVLOS.
Following publication of the final rule, TSA plans to host a series
of informational meetings with industry and external stakeholders to
inform TSA's development of options that UAS BVLOS operators could
employ to meet TSA's security program requirements. These meetings, or
``technical roundtables,'' will offer stakeholders the opportunity to
provide input on the kinds of organizational, structural,
technological, and/or physical methods UAS BVLOS operators may already
be employing to ensure the security of their operations. TSA
anticipates that some actions and procedures that UAS BVLOS operators
have already implemented when conducting UAS BVLOS operations under FAA
waivers or exemptions may adequately satisfy some of TSA's security
program requirements. Wherever possible and appropriate, TSA intends
for the individual inputs provided at the technical roundtables to
inform model approaches that UAS BVLOS operators can use to meet
security program requirements. These meetings will not seek consensus
recommendations from participants. Rather, the technical roundtables
will provide participants an opportunity to provide individual views
and information to TSA, and position TSA to provide guidance informed
by current industry practices as described by participants.
Closed Meeting
The technical roundtables will be closed to the public. To meet the
intended purpose, the participants at the technical roundtables need to
be able to speak freely about issues that would be detrimental to
transportation safety and security if disclosed. Pursuant to the
requirements in 49 U.S.C. 114(r) and 44912(d), and implementing
regulations in 49 CFR part 1520, this meeting will be closed to the
public to protect against disclosure of SSI.\2\ SSI protections apply
to information related to development of procedures and facilities ``to
protect passengers and property against acts of criminal violence,
aircraft piracy, and terrorism and to ensure security.'' \3\ All
participants must either be ``covered
[[Page 56895]]
persons'' as defined in 49 CFR 1520.7, or otherwise designated by TSA
as a ``covered person'' for purposes of this event. Participants will
be required to sign a non-disclosure agreement, which includes
acknowledgment of TSA's SSI requirements, and ensure that any
information received or otherwise communicated is properly protected.
The responsibilities of participants to safeguard all SSI disclosed
during or related to this meeting will continue after the conclusion of
the technical roundtable events.
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\2\ Additional information on SSI can be found at the following
link: <a href="https://www.tsa.gov/for-industry/sensitive-security-information">https://www.tsa.gov/for-industry/sensitive-security-information</a>.
\3\ See 49 U.S.C. 44912(d).
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Participation at the Meeting
Requests to participate in the technical roundtables must be
received by the individual listed in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT section on or before the date listed in the DATES section. In
addition to providing invitations to relevant associations and
corporate representatives known to TSA through its regular stakeholder
engagements, TSA also invites representatives of UAS operators that are
currently operating under waivers or exemptions from the FAA to conduct
BVLOS operations or that intend to seek an FAA permit or certificate to
conduct or support UAS BVLOS under the FAA final rule.
These meetings will be held after publication of the FAA and TSA
final rules to allow persons to determine whether they are within the
scope of applicability of the FAA's rule and subject to the
requirements in TSA's rule. In addition, holding these roundtables
after publication of the final rules will enable participants to have
more knowledge of TSA's requirements in order to come to the technical
roundtables with information needed to provide the most useful input to
TSA. These roundtables will be an opportunity for participants to
present their individual views and recommendations to TSA. They will
not be a forum for group discussion or deliberation, or the formulation
of group advice, as would be appropriate in a properly constituted
federal advisory committee.
Persons within these industries are encouraged to contact the
individual noted in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this
notice for additional information. Participation will generally be
limited to individuals that TSA determines represent industry entities
potentially and directly affected by the final rule. TSA will limit
participation to no more than two individuals per association or
company. All participants must be approved by TSA for access to SSI and
must sign a non-disclosure agreement in advance of the meeting. TSA may
further limit participation to accommodate size limitations, by topic,
or otherwise for TSA's convenience. Further attendance information will
be provided to qualified participants.
Dated: September 1, 2026.
Scott C. Gorton,
Acting Assistant Administrator, Strategy, Policy, and Engagement,
Transportation Security Administration.
[FR Doc. 2026-18124 Filed 9-3-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9110-05-P
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