# Drone Operator Policy Evidence Checklist Use this checklist to prepare a factual FCC filing, agency declaration, legislator brief, trade-group submission or client-risk memo. ## 1. Identify the exact policy action - FCC docket and notice number - For the principal military-grade UAS proposal, identify both **PS Docket 26-189** and **DA 26-758**; 26-189 is the docket, not an FCC order number - Comment or reply deadline, verified in the live docket - Exact aircraft model, FCC ID, payload, controller, dock or component affected - Proposed capability category, such as thermal, LiDAR, docking, dispersal, swarming or 55-pound weight - Official sensing specification saved with the filing; distinguish LiDAR from vision, infrared and time-of-flight obstacle sensing - Separate FCC import and marketing consequences from federal procurement, funding and fleet rules ## 2. Inventory the operating stack - Aircraft count, models and purchase dates - Payloads and sensors - Controllers, batteries, chargers and docks - Software subscriptions, integrations and data workflows - Remaining service life and current replacement availability - Current resale, repair, parts and warranty constraints ## 3. Document missions, not preferences - Mission types and annual frequency - Response-time or launch-time requirements - Thermal, optical, mapping, LiDAR, RTK, night and wind requirements - Accuracy, endurance, communications and GNSS-denied requirements - Clients, agencies or infrastructure served, without exposing sensitive details - Consequence if the mission is delayed, reduced or unavailable ## 4. Price the full transition - Comparable configured aircraft quote - Payload, controller, battery, dock and accessory costs - Software licensing and data-migration costs - Training and certification time - Maintenance, warranty and parts availability - Procurement lead time - Expected downtime, lost work and contract risk ## 5. Compare alternatives fairly - Same mission and environment - Same payload function and configuration - Same software and support assumptions - Demonstrated field result, not only a specification sheet - Security controls and network behavior for every vendor - Current authorization or cleared-list status for the exact system, payload and configuration - Every open manufacturer notice, required software version, hardware revision and mitigation - Exposure-normalized reliability and incident reporting for every vendor; operator-group accounts are leads to verify, not rates - Repair network, delivery time and five-year total cost ## 6. Document a grounded, restricted or retired fleet case - Agency and program that owns the aircraft - Exact legal or funding lane: federal-aid restriction, federal procurement, state procurement, state operation rule or local policy - Aircraft restricted on specific projects versus grounded for all missions - Original aircraft count, active count and affected count - Original purchase value, book loss, replacement quote, appropriation and reimbursement recorded as separate measures - Date the restriction began and expected downtime - Missions delayed, transferred, reduced or cancelled - Current public source or signed agency declaration Do not combine unlike agency snapshots into a state or national total. A state transportation response, a local police fleet and a replacement appropriation answer different questions. ## 7. Propose a measurable remedy - Model-specific scope or clarification - A published consumer and enterprise model matrix for each capability category - Mission-specific carve-out - Transition extension tied to documented replacement availability - Bridge or replacement funding - Local or offline operating mode - Independent security validation - Comparable government field testing and public results ## 8. Protect the record - Cite primary sources - Label estimates and owner-reported data - Avoid unsupported national market-share or cost claims - Do not allege corruption or causation without evidence - Remove tactical locations, vulnerabilities and personally identifiable information from public filings ## Direct action links - FCC standard filing: https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/filings/standard - ET Docket 26-22, DJI OnDefend assessment: https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/search-filings/results?q=%28proceedings.name:%28%2226-22%22%29%29 - PS Docket 26-184, previously authorized named covered equipment: https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/search-filings/results?q=%28proceedings.name:%28%2226-184%22%29%29 - PS Docket 26-189, military-grade capability categories including LiDAR: https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/search-filings/results?q=%28proceedings.name:%28%2226-189%22%29%29 - ET Docket 21-232, production-location definitions: https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/search-filings/results?q=%28proceedings.name:%28%2221-232%22%29%29 - DHS NUSTL results request: NUSTL@hq.dhs.gov - DHS FOIA: https://www.dhs.gov/foia - Oregon aviation 25-state fleet-impact paper: https://www.oregon.gov/aviation/agency/about/Documents/Press%20Releases/White_Paper_Impacts_Federal_Restrictions_On_State_UAS_Programs.pdf - Skydio Notices to Operators: https://support.skydio.com/hc/en-us/sections/20862493496347-Notices-to-Operators - DIU Blue UAS cleared list: https://www.diu.mil/blue-uas-cleared-list - Find members of Congress: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member - Find state and federal officials: https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials/ Evidence cutoff for the companion investigation: August 10, 2026. Verify live deadlines before filing.