BVLOS and Section 2209 Left Unaddressed at AUVSI Policy Symposium
Despite industry urgency and federal mandates, AUVSI’s flagship event failed to demand FAA action on BVLOS rules and drone airspace protections.
In press releases, tweets, and interviews, the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) has promoted the July 29–30 Drone & AAM Policy Symposium in Washington, D.C. as a momentous opportunity for regulatory advancement. The event comes amid heightened industry anticipation for the release of a final rule on beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations and implementation guidance for Section 2209, which mandates FAA-designated "fixed site" protections for critical infrastructure.
Michael Robbins, CEO of AUVSI, has repeatedly stated that both the BVLOS rule and Section 2209 are “coming soon.” In public statements, he has called on federal agencies to accelerate action, accusing the U.S. Department of Transportation of delay.
"83 days the rule has been at DOT after delivery from FAA... Unacceptable," Robbins wrote in a 2024 tweet, urging the White House to act.
In another post, Robbins claimed:
“FAA data confirms what the drone industry has long known: drones are operating safely at scale across industries.”
Yet FAA-confirmed data provided to The Zero Lux on July 29, 2025, reveals a much different story:
"To date, the FAA has not convened either advisory body named in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024."
The act, passed earlier this year, required the FAA to stand up both a BVLOS Advisory Rulemaking Committee and a Section 2209 Implementation Working Group. These bodies were intended to formalize stakeholder input and accelerate long-awaited rulemaking. Their absence calls into question whether the agencies responsible are moving with the urgency AUVSI claims to champion.
The significance of Section 108 lies in its mandate to establish two advisory groups central to the future of commercial drone operations in the United States. The BVLOS Advisory Rulemaking Committee was designed to shape how drone operators may legally fly beyond visual line of sight—a critical capability for scaling inspections, infrastructure monitoring, and delivery services. The Section 2209 Implementation Working Group, meanwhile, would enable operators of critical infrastructure like refineries, power plants, and airports to petition the FAA for airspace protections. Without these bodies in place, the UAS industry lacks the formal channels to influence policy and address key safety and operational concerns—leaving major regulatory gaps unaddressed despite the law’s clear directives.
No official rosters, meeting schedules, or deliverables from either group have been made public.
Adding to the confusion, no mention of formal committee progress was made during the Symposium's public sessions. Panelists and moderators invoked the urgency of BVLOS integration, but no roadmap or timeline was offered. While officials from agencies like NASA and DHS participated, no FAA representative publicly addressed the absence of advisory body action or provided updated milestones.
"The future of uncrewed aviation is being written this summer in D.C.," AUVSI posted on July 2, promoting the Symposium.
Yet when The Zero Lux requested an agenda or transcript segment detailing BVLOS or Section 2209 committee updates, no such material was provided.
AUVSI’s own webpage describes the symposium as “policy-focused,” but the central policies governing the future of uncrewed aviation were never substantively addressed.
The optics are jarring. On one hand, AUVSI positions itself as a conduit between industry and government, rallying support for swift regulatory action. On the other, the processes underpinning that action remain inert.
Further compounding industry skepticism are prior comments by drone operators and stakeholders who say they've seen these promises before. In 2022, an earlier BVLOS ARC delivered a comprehensive report to the FAA. That report, once hailed as the backbone for new rules, has since sat dormant without formal response or implementation.
"We keep getting told it's coming. But at some point, you stop believing it," said one commercial drone operator who asked to remain anonymous. "It starts to feel like political theater."
AUVSI maintains close ties to both government agencies and large industry stakeholders. Its leadership, including Robbins, frequently participates in congressional hearings and closed-door meetings with the FAA. It also receives funding through various federal contracts and cooperative agreements, raising questions about potential conflicts between advocacy and accountability.
At a time when $13.5 billion in federal funding for small UAS is under consideration in reconciliation packages, and when the commercial drone industry faces growing pressure to transition away from foreign-made platforms, the need for regulatory clarity is acute.
Yet that clarity remains elusive.
"The BVLOS rule is coming soon. Section 2209 is coming soon," Robbins repeated on stage in Washington.
But from the FAA, the silence continues.
While AUVSI continues to issue public statements urging swift regulatory action, there is no evidence it has publicly confronted the FAA over its statutory noncompliance—or even acknowledged the inaction at its own policy event. The advisory bodies mandated by law remain idle, even as industry leaders gather in Washington to discuss the future of drone integration.
In this recorded discussion hosted by Airspace Link, AUVSI President & CEO Michael Robbins outlines the economic and regulatory stakes surrounding the FAA’s upcoming BVLOS rule and Part 108. His remarks offer a glimpse into the policy positioning AUVSI has promoted publicly—even as implementation efforts remain stalled.