FAA Issues First Authorization for Beyond-Visual-Line-of-Sight Drone Flights Over the Gulf

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on November 9, 2026, that it has authorized a drone to fly beyond the operator's visual line of sight (BVLOS) from the US coastline over the Gulf. The agency described the approval as the first of its kind and a milestone for long-range commercial drone operations over the high seas.

The authorization went to Skyways, a company based in Austin, Texas. It will fly its autonomous V2 vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft from energy company Shell's SPLC facility in Gibson, Louisiana, to a Shell platform in the Gulf.

Mission profile

According to the FAA, the aircraft will inspect a pipeline right-of-way on its way out. At the platform, it will carry out a simulated equipment delivery. The agency said the mission is meant to show how drones could support critical infrastructure and offshore operations.

In June, Skyways chief commercial officer Bill Wimberley told a conference audience that the company was developing a deal to provide cargo delivery and inspection services to customers with assets in the Gulf. He did not name the partners at the time.

Legal basis

The FAA approved the flight under Section 927 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024. The provision lets the agency approve certain drone operations through a waiver rather than rulemaking or an exemption. The FAA described it as a way to advance new operations while the broader BVLOS regulatory framework is still being developed.

Michael Kratsios, assistant to the president for science and technology and director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, said the Trump Administration envisions a future in which advanced drone operations are routine. Liam McKenna, acting deputy administrator of the FAA, said the agency is working with industry to move beyond traditional operating limitations.