United States: Aviation

Surcharge-driven pricing and geopolitical disruption are intensifying supply side freight inflation, with tightening capacity in trucking and air and carrier-controlled ocean rates pushing costs higher despite still-muted demand. This analysis examines the widest supply-demand imbalances in recent history, marking a renewed phase of supply-driven inflation across global logistics networks.

Comments due July 6, 2026. Under its proposed 14 C.F.R. Part 74, operators and proprietors of fixed-site (permanent, non-mobile), critical infrastructure (defined by statute and regulation) facilities could request...

The FAA has designated all 2026 FIFA World Cup venues as "No Drone Zones," imposing strict airspace restrictions with severe penalties for violations. Federal agencies are coordinating enforcement efforts and deploying counter-drone technology to detect and disable unauthorized drones throughout the tournament. Operators must understand compliance obligations, temporary flight restrictions, and the legal framework governing drone operations during this major international sporting event.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), Designation-Restrict the Operation of Unmanned Aircraft in Close Proximity to a Fixed Site Facility...

The Federal Communications Commission and Federal Aviation Administration have released parallel regulatory proposals addressing unmanned aircraft systems and counter-drone operations over critical infrastructure. These proceedings tackle spectrum allocation, licensing modernization, and airspace restrictions, while grappling with legal barriers that have delayed implementation of congressional mandates for nearly a decade.

On March 12, 2026, a division of the Colorado Court of Appeals issued a significant opinion concerning federal preemption, aviation law, and environmental nuisance. In Town of Superior v. Board of County Commissioners of Jefferson County, 2026 COA 14, the division held that federal law preempts a state court from ordering an airport proprietor to ban certain aircraft operations as a noise abatement measure, even though the proprietor itself retains the authority to impose such restrictions voluntarily.

Launch start-up Payload Aerospace, S.A. announced that it raised €180m in a Series C funding round led by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, with participation from the Centre for the Development of Technology and Innovation, Compañía Española de Financiación del Desarrollo and Nazca Capital S.G.E.I.C., S.A.

The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) and Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on April 1, 2026, issued a Public Notice seeking specific comments on several actions that the agency is considering, all in the interest of advancing U.S. drone dominance.

On March 24, 2026, OSC released its Proposal For Space Commerce Certification Process (Proposal), seeking to establish a unified “mission authorization” process for novel space activities, which may include in-space manufacturing, orbital computing, satellite servicing, and lunar operations.