Drone Light Show Industry Urges FCC Not to Classify Its Equipment as ‘Military-Grade’
Manufacturers warned that a rapid shift to U.S.-made equipment could reduce safety because domestic suppliers remain limited.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 13, 2026 - A drone manufacturer is asking federal officials to ensure that toy-like drones are not heavily regulated.
Representatives of the American Drone Entertainment Coalition met with Federal Communications Commission officials this month to argue that drone light show equipment should not be classified as “military-grade.”
According to an ex parte filing in PS Docket No. 26-189, Coalition representatives and counsel held separate meetings on Thursday, October 1, with Democratic FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez and her staff, as well as personnel from the agency’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau. The discussions focused on the Coalition’s comments responding to a Public Notice from the bureau and the Office of Engineering and Technology regarding “military-grade” unmanned aircraft systems.
The Coalition argued that drone light show equipment should not be classified as military-grade because it differs substantially from military swarming drones. According to the Coalition, light show drones are slower, cannot fly autonomously, and cannot sense other drones. They also have shorter battery lives, cannot serve dual purposes, cannot be retrofitted with greater capabilities, and cannot carry heavy payloads.
Coalition representatives said those limitations, combined with the logistics of producing a show, make the equipment unattractive to bad actors. Setting up a drone light show requires five to ten hours of visible preparation and hundreds of hours of programming in advance. The Coalition argued that an off-the-shelf drone from a major retailer could more easily be misused than light show equipment.
The group also raised concerns that an abrupt shift to U.S. made equipment could undermine safety. While Coalition members said they want to expand domestic manufacturing, they noted that few U.S. suppliers currently exist and that domestic equipment has limited capabilities and safety features. Because drones and parts are not interchangeable across manufacturers, existing fleets could not easily be upgraded or repaired with substitute equipment.
The Coalition also highlighted the industry’s broader public-interest benefits, including thousands of jobs, lower pollution than fireworks, and greater accessibility for people with post-traumatic stress disorder or sensory challenges. It added that drone shows can create new fundraising opportunities for charities through illuminated logo sponsorships.
