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Trends / Technology

Unmanned aircraft

22 Federal Register documents matched this search in the 12 weeks through the week of October 26, 2026, down 12 percent from the 12 weeks before.

Reading
HoldingLess than 25 percent up or down from the 12 weeks before
Last 52 weeks
104, against 100 in the 52 before (+4%)
Share of all documents
0.4 percent over the last 52 weeks, against 0.4 percent in the 52 before
The last 52 weeks as a table
Documents per week for Unmanned aircraft, newest first
Week ofDocuments
October 26, 20263
October 19, 20261
October 12, 20261
October 5, 20261
September 28, 20260
September 21, 20261
September 14, 20262
September 7, 20262
August 31, 20262
August 24, 20261
August 17, 20262
August 10, 20266
August 3, 20261
July 27, 20263
July 20, 20265
July 13, 20261
July 6, 20261
June 29, 20265
June 22, 20262
June 15, 20262
June 8, 20260
June 1, 20261
May 25, 20263
May 18, 20261
May 11, 20260
May 4, 20261
April 27, 20261
April 20, 20264
April 13, 20266
April 6, 20261
March 30, 20261
March 23, 20264
March 16, 20262
March 9, 20263
March 2, 20261
February 23, 20261
February 16, 20261
February 9, 20265
February 2, 20262
January 26, 20264
January 19, 20262
January 12, 20261
January 5, 20262
December 29, 20251
December 22, 20251
December 15, 20254
December 8, 20251
December 1, 20252
November 24, 20252
November 17, 20252
November 10, 20250
November 3, 20252

"unmanned aircraft"

Run against the full text of the Federal Register, published by the Office of the Federal Register, National Archives. One document counts once, however many times the words appear, and a passing mention counts the same as a whole rule.

This is the wording federal rules use. It leaves out documents that say only drone or drones: 18 from August 10 to November 1, 2026, against 22 here, and about a third as many since 2016.

On the list since November 5, 2026. Through the week of October 26, 2026, retrieved November 5, 2026. Corrections to the searches.

Who published it

  • Transportation Department7
  • Federal Communications Commission4
  • Commerce Department2
  • Homeland Security Department2
  • Interior Department2
  • Executive Office of the President1
  • Justice Department1
  • Regulatory Information Service Center1

10 top-level agencies in the latest 12 weeks, the top 8 shown. A document can carry more than one agency, and a document the source does not link to an agency is left out of these counts.

Micro or macro

  • Micro: no. It needs 3 rises in a row and has 1. It has 10 publishers, and the test here is fewer than 10.
  • Macro: not possible here. It appeared in 11 of the latest 12 weeks and came from 10 publishers, where 10 are needed, but nearly every publisher here belongs to one government.

The tests are in Method 1.3. A topic is a subject. It carries no claim, so nothing here says what any document argues.

In company filings

A separate count from SEC EDGAR full-text search, in six report forms. Through the week of October 26, 2026, 56 documents matched in the latest 12 weeks, and 222 in the latest 52, against 82 in the 52 before (+171%). These are not added to the Federal Register count above.

  • The test in company filings: passes. It appeared in 12 of the latest 12 weeks, from 30+ filers in 4 regions. Passing here alone is not a macro trend, under Method 1.3.

"unmanned aircraft"

In state bills

A separate count from Open States, of bills and resolutions with the phrase in their title or summary. Through the week of October 19, 2026, 2 bills matched in the latest 12 weeks, and 56 in the latest 52, against 78 in the 52 before. These are not added to the other counts above.

  • The test in state bills: does not pass. It appeared in 1 of the latest 12 weeks, from 1 legislature in 1 region. Passing here alone is not a macro trend, under Method 1.3.

unmanned aircraft

Latest rules and presidential documents

  1. Space Modernization for the 21st CenturyProposed Rule, Federal Communications Commission
  2. Unleashing Unlicensed Spectrum for Direct-to-DeviceProposed Rule, Federal Communications Commission
  3. Establishment of Special Air Traffic Rules in the Vicinity of President Donald J. Trump International Airport (DJT)Proposed Rule, Transportation Department
  4. International Traffic in Arms Regulations: Modification of Civil Aircraft To Incorporate Aircraft Survivability EquipmentRule, State Department
  5. Adjusting Imports of Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Unmanned Aircraft Systems Components Into the United StatesPresidential Document, Executive Office of the President

Any notices in the count are left out of this list because they can name private people.

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