[Federal Register Volume 90, Number 221 (Wednesday, November 19, 2025)]
[Notices]
[Page 52133]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2025-20242]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
[Docket No. FAA-2025-2994]
Notice of Guidance: Transporting Hazardous Materials by Unmanned
Aircraft Systems (UAS)
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Security and Hazardous
Materials Safety, and Department of Transportation, Pipeline and
Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), Office of Hazardous
Materials Safety.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of a joint FAA-PHMSA
guidance document on transporting hazardous materials by Unmanned
Aircraft Systems (UAS). This document is available at: https://www.faa.gov/hazmat/air_carriers/operations/drones.
DATES: This guidance document is available as of November 19, 2025.
Written comments should be submitted by December 19, 2025.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Lori Ambers, 405-954-0088, Office of Hazardous Materials Safety,
Security and Hazardous Materials Safety, Federal Aviation
Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, 800 Independence
Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20591-0001 or
Steven Andrews, 202-366-8553, Standards and Rulemaking Division,
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, U.S. Department
of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-000.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 933 of the FAA Reauthorization Act
of 2024, titled ``Special Authority for Transport of Hazardous
Materials by Commercial Package Delivery Unmanned Aircraft Systems,''
directs the Secretary of Transportation to use a risk-based approach to
establish the operational requirements, standards, or special permits
necessary to approve or authorize an air carrier to transport hazardous
materials by UAS providing common carriage under Title 14 of the Code
of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 135, or under successor
authorities, as applicable, based on the weight, amount, and type of
hazardous material being transported and the characteristics of the
operations subject to such requirements, standards, or special purposes
(see subsection (a)). The FAA and PHMSA addressed subsection (e)(1) of
the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 by hosting a joint public meeting
on August 22, 2024.\1\
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\1\ A recording and transcript of the public meeting as well as
public comments can be found at https://www.regulations.gov/docket/PHMSA-2024-0117.
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In addressing the statutory requirement, the FAA and PHMSA are
providing guidance that will enable operators to account methodically
for what can be unique risks associated with the transportation of
hazardous materials by UAS. This guidance is intended for 14 CFR part
135 UAS applicants and certificate holders who seek authorization to
transport hazardous materials, including those certificate holders
seeking to expand the scope of their current hazardous materials
programs. The document is available at: https://www.faa.gov/hazmat/air_carriers/operations/drones.
Signed in Washington, DC, on November 14, 2025.
Walter J. McBurrows, III,
Acting Executive Director, Office of Hazardous Materials Safety, FAA.
[FR Doc. 2025-20242 Filed 11-18-25; 8:45 am]
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