Data / Federal rules / 2026-07585
Settlement Policy for Small Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Cases
The Federal Aviation Administration published this final rule in the Federal Register on April 17, 2026. It took effect on April 17, 2026.
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What the agency says
This notification announces Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)'s new Drone Expedited and Targeted Enforcement Response (DETER) Program to expedite and increase enforcement actions against small Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) operators who violate Federal Aviation Administration regulations. The program establishes prompt settlement procedures for certificated and noncertificated UAS operators who are individuals, first-time violators, and meet the eligibility provisions of the policy. This policy will incentivize drone operators to follow FAA regulations, deterring clueless, careless, and criminal violations of UAS regulations by incentivizing violators to admit to liability and waive lengthy appeals processes in exchange for reduced fees. This policy effectuates President Trump's Executive Order directing zealous enforcement of UAS laws and regulations.
Key facts
- Document number
- 2026-07585
- Type
- Final rule
- Action
- Notification of enforcement policy
- Agency
- Transportation Department; Federal Aviation Administration
- Published
- April 17, 2026
- Takes effect
- April 17, 2026
- Dates
- This enforcement policy is effective April 17, 2026.
- Code of Federal Regulations
- 14 CFR 48; 14 CFR 61; 14 CFR 89; 14 CFR 91; 14 CFR 107; 14 CFR 135; 14 CFR 137
- Pages
- 2
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Everything from the Federal Aviation Administration · Published in April 2026
Read from the Federal Register API, last updated 2026-10-23. The document on federalregister.gov is the official record; dates and dockets can change through later corrections. Free to reuse with credit to SpecStream under CC BY 4.0.