Decoding Part 108: The Future Framework for BVLOS Operations
Dronecast: Rethinking Public Safety, One Drone at a Time · 2025-10-14 · 20 min
Episode notes
In “Decoding Part 108: The Future Framework for BVLOS Operations,” DroneCast host Joe Kearns talks with Matt Sloane, Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer at Skyfire AI, about the FAA’s proposed Part 108 rule, a pivotal step toward normalizing Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations across the U.S. Part 108 isn’t yet an official rule; it’s a proposal from the FAA designed to create a scalable, risk-based framework for BVLOS operations, replacing today’s fragmented system of case-by-case waivers under Part 107. The concept evolved from the BVLOS Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) and the FAA’s broader Drone Integration Concept of Operations (ConOps). The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) titled “Normalizing UAS BVLOS Operations” was published on August 7, 2025 (Docket FAA-2025-1908), with the public comment period closing October 6, 2025. The FAA is now reviewing feedback and drafting a final rule, with no confirmed release date. At its core, the NPRM proposes: Two authorization tiers for BVLOS flights, lower-risk permitted operations and higher-risk certificated operations, linked to aircraft type and mission risk.