As part of its sweeping proposed framework to enable Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations which dropped this week, the FAA introduced a brand-new section of regulation: Part 146.
While much of the attention has focused on Part 108, which covers operator requirements, Part 146 plays what arguably is an equally transformative (but definitely less flashy) role in defining the digital infrastructure behind scalable drone flight.
Part 146 certifies and regulates what the FAA calls “automated data service providers,” or ADSPs. These are not drone operators or manufacturers. Instead, they’re the technology companies that provide essential backend services to make BVLOS drone flights possible. That includes things like strategic deconfliction, conformance monitoring, airspace data delivery and conflict alerts. (You can read the full text of the proposed rule here.)
Without this infrastructure, BVLOS operations can’t safely scale, generally speaking. After all, such infrastructure would ensure that a drone flies safely in coordinated, observable and deconflicted airspace.
The companies that will profit off Part 146
Amit Ganjoo is CEO of ANRA Technologies, one such company that stands to benefit from a federal mandate like this.
“Part 146 provides the missing regulatory link for UTM,” Ganjoo said. He added that the new framework ensures “operators and service providers can plan and invest with confidence” and “moves us from waivers to a predictable framework that enables innovation while maintaining safety.”
The rule sets a clear bar: if you’re operating BVLOS in controlled airspace or over dense populations, you’ll likely need to use a certified Part 146 provider. Companies can either become an ADSP themselves or partner with one. Either way, they’ll need digital airspace intelligence to fly.
For companies already offering UTM services like ANRA and others like Airspace Link, this is a seismic shift.
Rich Fahle, VP of Marketing at Airspace Link, said the NPRM “creates one national framework so BVLOS can scale safely — with clear operator rules and trustworthy services.”
Fahle said that for Airspace Link, the NPRM “essentially mandates demand for our core services while providing a clear regulatory pathway to expand our business.”
“This proposed rule is a watershed moment for our industry,” said Michael Healander, Airspace Link’s CEO.” By establishing mandatory airspace intelligence and coordination services, the FAA is acknowledging that the future of safe, scalable drone operations depends on sophisticated digital infrastructure.”
Will Part 146 increase costs for drone companies?
While the rule presents a growth opportunity for firms like ANRA and Airspace Link, others warn that the requirements could shift costs onto operators and limit market flexibility.
ames McDanolds, Program Chair at the Sonoran Desert Institute’s School of Uncrewed Technology warned of what types of costs drone companies might face.
“If you must buy deconfliction/conformance from approved providers in many contexts, that’s recurring spend plus possible vendor lock-in.”
He also warned of the operational burden created by things like manuals, record-keeping and cybersecurity — all things that will likely increase adminstrative costs.
Still, McDanolds acknowledged that the complexity of BVLOS at scale requires robust digital coordination. FAA research has shown that strategic deconfliction significantly reduces midair collision risk, and the rule would require these services in high-risk environments like urban airspace and near airports.
Ultimately, Part 146 doesn’t regulate how drones fly — but it determines who gets to guide and monitor them digitally. It’s a shift from thinking of drones as aircraft alone to thinking of them as part of a coordinated, software-driven airspace ecosystem.
“The FAA is acknowledging that the future of safe, scalable drone operations depends on sophisticated digital infrastructure,” Healander said.
That infrastructure will now be federally certified.
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