The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced the launch of Phase 2 of its BEYOND program on August 27, 2026, aiming to double the initiative’s size by adding up to eight new lead participants to advance drones integration into the National Airspace System (NAS).

In a press release issued by the agency, officials confirmed the expansion targets remaining regulatory and operational hurdles for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations, public safety missions, and on-airport drone activities. The program’s second phase was authorized under Section 920 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024.

Building on Phase 1 milestones

The BEYOND initiative originally launched in October 2020 as the successor to the 2017 Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration Pilot Program. During the first phase, participating entities generated substantial operational data to inform future rulemaking and safety protocols.

According to the FAA, Phase 1 participants logged more than 70,000 total flights. Of those, more than 48,000 were conducted beyond visual line of sight. This data collection is intended to help regulators understand the safety and scalability of complex drone operations across various sectors.

“As drone technology continues to advance, the FAA is focused on building a regulatory framework that is safe, scalable and grounded in real-world data,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford stated in the release. “Phase 2 of BEYOND will expand the partnerships and operations needed to address remaining challenges in beyond visual line of sight operations, public safety missions, on-airport operations and other complex airspace environments.”

Strategic expansion and regulatory push

For Phase 2, the FAA will select up to eight additional state, local, tribal, and territorial entities to serve as lead participants. These new partners will join existing participants in testing advanced Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) capabilities in complex airspace environments.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy framed the expansion as a critical step for maintaining global competitiveness in aerospace technology and manufacturing.

“America leads the world in aviation, and this expansion will help keep it that way,” Duffy said. “Under President Trump’s leadership, this Department is cutting through barriers, advancing innovation and making sure the next generation of aviation technology is developed, tested and built right here in the United States.”

The BEYOND Phase 2 announcement follows a series of recent aviation modernization initiatives from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). On August 6, 2025, Duffy introduced a proposed rule for BVLOS drone operations, known as Part 108, designed to establish a consistent regulatory framework for scaling commercial drone missions. The department has also announced major infrastructure investments throughout August 2026, including a $615 million allocation for airport improvements and the opening of a new manufacturing plant for air traffic control modernization.

AirPro News analysis

We view the launch of BEYOND Phase 2 as a necessary bridge between the experimental data collection of the past decade and the impending codification of Part 108. By specifically targeting on-airport operations and public safety missions, the FAA is shifting its focus toward high-risk, high-value environments where integration with crewed aircraft is unavoidable. The addition of up to eight new municipal or tribal entities suggests the agency recognizes that local infrastructure and community acceptance remain significant bottlenecks for scaled UAS operations. The data gathered in this second phase will likely serve as the operational baseline for finalizing the Part 108 BVLOS rules.

Sources: Federal Aviation Administration

To support Japan’s expanding fleet of MQ-9B Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and Fujitsu Limited signed a Memorandum of Understanding on August 27, 2026, establishing domestic maintenance and operational support capabilities.

Announced in a joint press release, the agreement aims to secure a sustainable operational foundation for the aircraft as the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) increase intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions across the country’s vast Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Expanding maritime surveillance in Japan

Japan has actively expanded its unmanned maritime surveillance capabilities in response to a complex regional security environment. The JCG began operating the MQ-9B SeaGuardian from JMSDF Hachinohe Air Base in October 2022 to complement existing manned maritime patrol Military-Aircraft.

The Japanese MQ-9B fleet initially operated under a Company-Owned, Company-Operated (COCO) model managed by GA-ASI. The program proved successful, leading the Japanese government to convert the leased aircraft into direct sales and place additional Orders, a milestone GA-ASI announced on March 24, 2026.

Domestic sustainment and technical collaboration

The shift to direct ownership necessitates a localized sustainment infrastructure. The MOU between GA-ASI and Fujitsu covers discussions on Avionics maintenance, parts management, maintenance training, and support services within Japan. The companies will also explore future technical collaboration regarding mission systems and systems integration.

Fujitsu brings 10 years of accumulated experience and expertise in providing maintenance and operational support for maritime patrol aircraft operated by the JMSDF.

Kenichiro Miyazaki, Head of the National Security Business Unit for Fujitsu Limited, outlined the company’s role in the new agreement.

“We are delighted to have signed this MOU with GA-ASI to explore collaboration opportunities related to the MQ-9B. Leveraging the technological capabilities Fujitsu has cultivated in the defense sector, as well as our extensive experience in maintenance and operational support, we will contribute to strengthening a sustainable maintenance framework for the MQ-9B in Japan. This MOU marks the first step toward advancing the collaboration between our companies.”

AirPro News analysis

We view the Partnerships between GA-ASI and Fujitsu as a necessary maturation of the MQ-9B program in Japan. The transition from a contractor-operated leasing model to direct government ownership requires a robust, localized sustainment network. By aligning with Fujitsu, which already possesses a decade of experience supporting JMSDF maritime patrol aircraft, GA-ASI mitigates supply chain risks and ensures higher operational availability for a platform that has become central to Japan’s maritime domain awareness strategy.

Sources: Fujitsu Limited

Israeli electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) manufacturer AIR announced a strategic partnership with Elmo Motion Control on August 25, 2026, to integrate air-cooled servo drives into its Cargo-Heavy Lift uncrewed aircraft system (UAS), eliminating the need for heavier liquid-cooling systems.

In a press release, AIR detailed how the integration of Elmo’s technology will reduce overall system complexity and weight. This weight reduction allows the uncrewed cargo platform to maximize its 550-pound payload capacity for defense, commercial, and humanitarian logistics operations.

Technical specifications and propulsion architecture

The AIR Cargo-Heavy Lift UAS utilizes eight electric propulsion motors. Under the new partnership, these motors will be powered by Elmo’s Gold and Platinum high-voltage (HV) servo drives. The drives operate in a master-slave configuration, supplying 210 amps at 805 volts to each motor.

Rami Chanan, vice president of sales and marketing at Elmo Motion Control, noted that the compact, air-cooled design of the drives delivers exceptional power density while removing the necessity for liquid cooling.

“At Elmo, we’re passionate about helping our customers turn bold ideas into reality, and our collaboration with AIR is a perfect example of what’s possible when innovation meets engineering excellence,” Chanan said.

Production milestones and defense applications

The partnership follows AIR’s transition from prototype to production for the cargo platform, which completed its first flight on April 15, 2026. The aircraft is designed with a dual-use architecture intended for flexible logistics, mid-mile delivery, maritime resupply, and rapid aid deployments. It features a flight endurance of one hour.

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) categorizes the AIR cargo aircraft as a Group 4 UAS. According to the company, over 25 units of the Cargo-Heavy Lift UAS have been ordered and paid for to date.

AIR chief executive officer Rani Plaut emphasized the operational readiness of the platform and the role of the new propulsion components in meeting regulatory and customer standards.

“Working with Elmo will ensure that the future of autonomous flight and unmanned logistics are as safe as possible, while maintaining capabilities and meeting requirements across defense, commercial, and humanitarian needs,” Plaut stated.

Expanding supplier network

The Elmo Motion Control agreement is the second major supplier partnership AIR has finalized in 2026. On June 3, 2026, the manufacturer selected Dynon Avionics as the exclusive avionics provider for its entire aircraft portfolio, which includes both the Cargo-Heavy Lift UAS and the AIR ONE personal eVTOL.

According to reporting by AVweb, Dynon customized its SkyView HDX platform to manage electric propulsion and energy management specific to AIR’s aircraft architecture.

AirPro News analysis

Thermal management remains a critical bottleneck in the development of high-payload electric aircraft. By transitioning to an air-cooled servo drive system, AIR is addressing one of the primary weight penalties associated with high-voltage electric propulsion. Liquid cooling systems require pumps, reservoirs, and fluid lines, all of which add mass and introduce potential points of failure. If Elmo’s air-cooled drives can reliably manage the thermal loads of an 805-volt system during sustained hover and forward flight, we expect this architecture will yield measurable improvements in the aircraft’s payload fraction and operational reliability in austere environments.

Sources: AIR via PR Newswire