FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION WASHINGTON OFFICE OF THE CHAIRWOMAN June 15, 2023 The Honorable Mario Diaz-Balart U.S. House of Representatives 374 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Dear Representative Diaz-Balart: Thank you for your letter of February 14, 2023 expressing support for ensuring the availability of spectrum resources to facilitate important uses of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). As you may know, the Commission issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) covering the use of the 5030-5091 MHz band for UAS. In this NPRM, the Commission noted the potential of these systems for public safety purposes, such as storm recovery and first responder efforts, as well as commercial purposes, and recognized the need for additional spectrum access, in particular licensed spectrum, for command and control operations. Comments in response to the NPRM were due on March 9, 2023, and reply comments were due on April 10, 2023. As mentioned in your letter, the Commission also released a Seventh Report and Order and Ninth Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) on its rules for the 4.9 GHz band. In this FNPRM, the Commission specifically sought comment on whether it should lift the existing prohibition on airborne operations in the band (in place to protect radio astronomy operations), including for UAS. Comments in response to the FNPRM were due on March 30, 2023 and reply comments were due on May 1, 2023. Commission staff is currently reviewing the record in these proceedings, as well as holding ex parte meetings at the request of interested parties. We appreciate you reaching out to us about this important issue and will include this letter in the record for both proceedings discussed above. We hope this is responsive to your inquiry. Should you have any additional questions, please let us know. Sincerely, Jessica Rosenworcel FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION WASHINGTON OFFICE OF THE CHAIRWOMAN June 15, 2023 The Honorable Byron Donalds U.S. House of Representatives 1719 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Dear Representative Donalds: Thank you for your letter of February 14, 2023 expressing support for ensuring the availability of spectrum resources to facilitate important uses of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). As you may know, the Commission issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) covering the use of the 5030-5091 MHz band for UAS. In this NPRM, the Commission noted the potential of these systems for public safety purposes, such as storm recovery and first responder efforts, as well as commercial purposes, and recognized the need for additional spectrum access, in particular licensed spectrum, for command and control operations. Comments in response to the NPRM were due on March 9, 2023, and reply comments were due on April 10, 2023. As mentioned in your letter, the Commission also released a Seventh Report and Order and Ninth Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) on its rules for the 4.9 GHz band. In this FNPRM, the Commission specifically sought comment on whether it should lift the existing prohibition on airborne operations in the band (in place to protect radio astronomy operations), including for UAS. Comments in response to the FNPRM were due on March 30, 2023 and reply comments were due on May 1, 2023. Commission staff is currently reviewing the record in these proceedings, as well as holding ex parte meetings at the request of interested parties. We appreciate you reaching out to us about this important issue and will include this letter in the record for both proceedings discussed above. We hope this is responsive to your inquiry. Should you have any additional questions, please let us know. Sincerely, Jessica Rosenworcel FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION WASHINGTON OFFICE OF THE CHAIRWOMAN June 15, 2023 The Honorable Jared Moskowitz U.S. House of Representatives 1130 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Dear Representative Moskowitz: Thank you for your letter of February 14, 2023 expressing support for ensuring the availability of spectrum resources to facilitate important uses of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). As you may know, the Commission issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) covering the use of the 5030-5091 MHz band for UAS. In this NPRM, the Commission noted the potential of these systems for public safety purposes, such as storm recovery and first responder efforts, as well as commercial purposes, and recognized the need for additional spectrum access, in particular licensed spectrum, for command and control operations. Comments in response to the NPRM were due on March 9, 2023, and reply comments were due on April 10, 2023. As mentioned in your letter, the Commission also released a Seventh Report and Order and Ninth Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) on its rules for the 4.9 GHz band. In this FNPRM, the Commission specifically sought comment on whether it should lift the existing prohibition on airborne operations in the band (in place to protect radio astronomy operations), including for UAS. Comments in response to the FNPRM were due on March 30, 2023 and reply comments were due on May 1, 2023. Commission staff is currently reviewing the record in these proceedings, as well as holding ex parte meetings at the request of interested parties. We appreciate you reaching out to us about this important issue and will include this letter in the record for both proceedings discussed above. We hope this is responsive to your inquiry. Should you have any additional questions, please let us know. Sincerely, Jessica Rosenworcel FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION WASHINGTON OFFICE OF THE CHAIRWOMAN June 15, 2023 The Honorable Rick L. Scott United States Senate 502 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Dear Senator Scott: Thank you for your letter of February 14, 2023 expressing support for ensuring the availability of spectrum resources to facilitate important uses of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). As you may know, the Commission issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) covering the use of the 5030-5091 MHz band for UAS. In this NPRM, the Commission noted the potential of these systems for public safety purposes, such as storm recovery and first responder efforts, as well as commercial purposes, and recognized the need for additional spectrum access, in particular licensed spectrum, for command and control operations. Comments in response to the NPRM were due on March 9, 2023, and reply comments were due on April 10, 2023. As mentioned in your letter, the Commission also released a Seventh Report and Order and Ninth Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) on its rules for the 4.9 GHz band. In this FNPRM, the Commission specifically sought comment on whether it should lift the existing prohibition on airborne operations in the band (in place to protect radio astronomy operations), including for UAS. Comments in response to the FNPRM were due on March 30, 2023 and reply comments were due on May 1, 2023. Commission staff is currently reviewing the record in these proceedings, as well as holding ex parte meetings at the request of interested parties. We appreciate you reaching out to us about this important issue and will include this letter in the record for both proceedings discussed above. We hope this is responsive to your inquiry. Should you have any additional questions, please let us know. Sincerely, Jessica Rosenworcel FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION WASHINGTON OFFICE OF THE CHAIRWOMAN June 15, 2023 The Honorable Darren Soto U.S. House of Representatives 2353 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Dear Representative Soto: Thank you for your letter of February 14, 2023 expressing support for ensuring the availability of spectrum resources to facilitate important uses of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). As you may know, the Commission issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) covering the use of the 5030-5091 MHz band for UAS. In this NPRM, the Commission noted the potential of these systems for public safety purposes, such as storm recovery and first responder efforts, as well as commercial purposes, and recognized the need for additional spectrum access, in particular licensed spectrum, for command and control operations. Comments in response to the NPRM were due on March 9, 2023, and reply comments were due on April 10, 2023. As mentioned in your letter, the Commission also released a Seventh Report and Order and Ninth Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) on its rules for the 4.9 GHz band. In this FNPRM, the Commission specifically sought comment on whether it should lift the existing prohibition on airborne operations in the band (in place to protect radio astronomy operations), including for UAS. Comments in response to the FNPRM were due on March 30, 2023 and reply comments were due on May 1, 2023. Commission staff is currently reviewing the record in these proceedings, as well as holding ex parte meetings at the request of interested parties. We appreciate you reaching out to us about this important issue and will include this letter in the record for both proceedings discussed above. We hope this is responsive to your inquiry. Should you have any additional questions, please let us know. Sincerely, Jessica Rosenworcel FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION WASHINGTON OFFICE OF THE CHAIRWOMAN June 15, 2023 The Honorable Greg Steube U.S. House of Representatives 2457 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Dear Representative Steube: Thank you for your letter of February 14, 2023 expressing support for ensuring the availability of spectrum resources to facilitate important uses of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). As you may know, the Commission issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) covering the use of the 5030-5091 MHz band for UAS. In this NPRM, the Commission noted the potential of these systems for public safety purposes, such as storm recovery and first responder efforts, as well as commercial purposes, and recognized the need for additional spectrum access, in particular licensed spectrum, for command and control operations. Comments in response to the NPRM were due on March 9, 2023, and reply comments were due on April 10, 2023. As mentioned in your letter, the Commission also released a Seventh Report and Order and Ninth Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) on its rules for the 4.9 GHz band. In this FNPRM, the Commission specifically sought comment on whether it should lift the existing prohibition on airborne operations in the band (in place to protect radio astronomy operations), including for UAS. Comments in response to the FNPRM were due on March 30, 2023 and reply comments were due on May 1, 2023. Commission staff is currently reviewing the record in these proceedings, as well as holding ex parte meetings at the request of interested parties. We appreciate you reaching out to us about this important issue and will include this letter in the record for both proceedings discussed above. We hope this is responsive to your inquiry. Should you have any additional questions, please let us know. Sincerely, Jessica Rosenworcel FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION WASHINGTON OFFICE OF THE CHAIRWOMAN June 15, 2023 The Honorable Michael Waltz U.S. House of Representatives 244 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Dear Representative Waltz: Thank you for your letter of February 14, 2023 expressing support for ensuring the availability of spectrum resources to facilitate important uses of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). As you may know, the Commission issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) covering the use of the 5030-5091 MHz band for UAS. In this NPRM, the Commission noted the potential of these systems for public safety purposes, such as storm recovery and first responder efforts, as well as commercial purposes, and recognized the need for additional spectrum access, in particular licensed spectrum, for command and control operations. Comments in response to the NPRM were due on March 9, 2023, and reply comments were due on April 10, 2023. As mentioned in your letter, the Commission also released a Seventh Report and Order and Ninth Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) on its rules for the 4.9 GHz band. In this FNPRM, the Commission specifically sought comment on whether it should lift the existing prohibition on airborne operations in the band (in place to protect radio astronomy operations), including for UAS. Comments in response to the FNPRM were due on March 30, 2023 and reply comments were due on May 1, 2023. Commission staff is currently reviewing the record in these proceedings, as well as holding ex parte meetings at the request of interested parties. We appreciate you reaching out to us about this important issue and will include this letter in the record for both proceedings discussed above. We hope this is responsive to your inquiry. Should you have any additional questions, please let us know. Sincerely, Jessica Rosenworcel