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]

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 ( printed 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.

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.

91 FR 56894