Quick, plain answers about what this is, whether you're eligible, and how the process works. Type below to filter.
It's the operationalization of UAS Traffic Management (UTM) services in the US to support complex drone operations, focused first on shared airspace. Shared airspace is the digital coordination of intended flight paths between overlapping operators, built on the ASTM F3548-21 standard and supporting FAA Order 8040.6A.
It was driven by operational demand. As complex drone operations grow, operators and providers need a standards-based way to share airspace and reduce drone-to-drone risk. Joining gives you shared operational and governance resources, and a transparent, scalable, digital process for deconfliction.
To join, you must be ready to pass Gate 1 criteria and sign the governance agreement. See How to Join for the full journey.
No. It grew out of the busy North Texas drone market, but the agreement can be operationalized anywhere in the US, provided the parties have the appropriate permissions and a genuine need to share airspace.
Three main topics: (1) what data can be exchanged and how it can be used, (2) how others can join the agreement, and (3) how to handle situations where a company isn't performing as expected.
Right now the focus is core strategic coordination to manage drone-to-drone collision risk. As the technical roadmap matures, other interoperable services may be managed through the committees. If you offer other (SDSP) capabilities, you can pursue partnerships directly with operators or providers without formally joining.
Operators, service providers, and other stakeholders cover their own costs of participation.
Operations and Technical Committee meetings and minutes are open to stakeholders who have signed the governance agreement and passed Gate 1. Government officials (other than FAA) with questions can contact the Operations Committee or Technical Committee.
For information about the FAA's UTM Key Site Operational Evaluation, see the FAA's workshop materials.
Review the Governance Agreement, the Service Description Document (SDD), and the issue-ticket workflow so you understand the expectations and technical requirements. They're all on the Resources page.
Three: Gate 1 (Qualification Testing), Gate 2 (Simulation), and Gate 3 (Production Flights). Each has specific technical and operational criteria. See the visual walkthrough on How to Join.
Email the Operations Committee when you're ready to sign. They'll send the Form of Joinder via DocuSign.
If you've already passed Gate 1, upload your single-operator test report with your participation interest form. Otherwise, attach the test report in an email to the Operations Committee.
Yes. Gate 1 can be passed using your own tooling and the open-source InterUSS test suite, without connecting to the shared RPAS Platform. Once you sign, you can choose to use the pre-qual environment of the RPAS Platform instead. Additional technical materials (endpoints, configuration, the test runner) are provided after you sign.
It means the technical ability for the operator and service provider to exchange data as the standard requires. It does not mean FAA approvals, waivers, or exemptions have been secured. Those run on the FAA's own timeline, and onboarding steps are not made dependent on FAA actions.
Run coordinated, simultaneous simulations with the other shared-airspace members you reasonably expect to overlap with in real life, each using their own USS, with realistic assumptions about where overlaps will occur. The process is described in Section 4(c) of the governance agreement.
The process includes a one-time 30-day extension precisely because unforeseen challenges arise. You request it, and it's granted. The Operations Committee deliberately chose not to attach conditions or criteria to the extension.
Voting rights are granted during the onboarding process, after Gate 3.
Disengaging requires a formal GitHub Support Ticket in the Operations Committee repository.
Submit a configuration change request using the appropriate GitHub issue template (the Automated Test Config Change template). This lets the Operations Committee coordinate the change without disrupting other participants.
The current Strategic Coordination SDD is on the Resources page. The Technical Committee roadmap and automated testing baselines live in the Technical Committee repository (access provided as part of onboarding).