VAI: TSA roundtables ultimately will help operators meet BVLOS security requirements
The agency’s solicitation for participants connects to its joint Part 108 NPRM with the FAA.
By Amber Harrison
As we await the publication of the final rulemaking on Part 108, the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is seeking unmanned aircraft system operators and industry associations to participate in closed technical roundtables addressing the security of beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations.
This action is directly connected to the FAA and TSA’s joint Part 108 notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), which proposes a scalable pathway for routine BVLOS operations. While the FAA provisions focus largely on operational safety and integration into the National Airspace System, the TSA’s accompanying requirements would add a separate security layer, including:
- Security threat assessments and vetting for certain personnel
- TSA-approved security programs for covered operators
- Organizational, technological, structural, and physical measures to protect BVLOS operations.
The roundtables will help the TSA develop model approaches that operators may use to satisfy those security program requirements. Importantly, the TSA recognizes that measures already implemented by operators conducting BVLOS flights under FAA waivers or exemptions may satisfy at least some of the forthcoming requirements.
That creates a valuable opportunity to build upon proven industry practices instead of requiring operators to construct entirely new security systems from the ground up.
The larger takeaway is that successful implementation of Part 108 will depend on more than obtaining an FAA certificate or permit. Operators will need to understand how aviation safety, operational authorization, personnel vetting, cybersecurity, physical security, and protection of Sensitive Security Information (SSI) fit together.
It also reinforces an important distinction: The FAA and TSA are advancing one interconnected BVLOS framework, but they’re addressing different risks under their respective authorities. Part 108 operators may therefore face parallel (and potentially interdependent) FAA safety and TSA security obligations.
The roundtables will (hopefully) occur after publication of the final rules, when participants can evaluate the actual requirements and offer informed recommendations. Participation is limited to qualifying BVLOS operators and industry associations, generally with no more than two representatives per organization. Participants must also receive TSA approval to access SSI and sign a nondisclosure agreement.
Requests to participate are due Oct. 19, 2026.
Organizations expecting to operate or support operations under Part 108 shouldn’t wait until after the final rule to implement security planning. The systems, personnel practices, and operational safeguards being developed today may shape both future compliance and the model approaches available to the broader industry.
Amber Harrison is VAI’s director of regulatory affairs. She is a commercially rated helicopter pilot and an aviation regulatory attorney specializing in low-altitude integration and safety governance within the US National Airspace System.
