Small UAV Coalition
The Small UAV Coalition is a Washington, DC-based trade association founded in 2014 that advocates for commercial small UAV regulations before the FAA, Congress, and state legislatures on behalf of leading drone manufacturers, operators, and enterprise end users including Walmart, Wing, and Amazon.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Small UAV Coalition does
The Small UAV Coalition is a Washington, DC-based membership trade association founded on October 1, 2014 to advocate for the commercial, civil, and philanthropic use of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the United States and abroad. The Coalition represents leading manufacturers, software and hardware providers, end users, and service providers in the UAS industry, with a public roster that includes Wing (Alphabet), Walmart (Board member since September 2022), Amazon, DJI, Skydio, Workhorse, Percepto, Iris Automation, Dominion Energy, Aeronyde, DroneDeploy, and Yamaha Motor Ventures. Its core function is direct engagement with the FAA, Congress, and state legislatures to shape regulatory frameworks governing beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations, remote identification, operations over people, and expanded commercial drone use.
The organization operates on an annual Supporter Membership model. Members receive monthly update calls covering UAS-related Congressional and agency developments, invitations to Coalition events, branding on Coalition materials and website, and promotion of company news. Membership tiers are not publicly priced; prospective members are directed to an inquiry form. The Coalition is led by Executive Director Michael Drobac and Counsel Gregory Walden, a former FAA Chief Counsel who chairs the Joint Authorities for Rulemaking on Unmanned Systems (JARUS) Stakeholder Consultation Body advising representatives from 50 countries on regulatory frameworks. The Coalition has been publicly credited with shaping major regulatory milestones including the 2016 Part 107 final rule, FAA Reauthorization legislation, Remote ID rulemaking, and ongoing BVLOS proceedings.
The Coalition does not develop proprietary technology products. Its core offerings are the Supporter Membership program, a password-protected Resource Center for members, and active engagement in FAA petition proceedings and policy advocacy. Distribution is built around a digital presence (website, LinkedIn, X/Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, email newsletter), earned media through press releases, participation in industry conferences such as the Commercial UAV Show and Drones Data X Conference, and direct congressional advocacy including engagement with the Congressional UAS Caucus. Strategic positioning is reinforced by international coordination with Drone Alliance Europe, Global UTM Association (GUTMA), and UAV DACH on U-space and UAS interoperability frameworks.
Small UAV Coalition firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Small UAV Coalition
- Legal name
- Small UAV Coalition
- Website
- https://smalluavcoalition.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Small UAV Coalition is a Washington, DC-based trade association founded in 2014 that advocates for commercial small UAV regulations before the FAA, Congress, and state legislatures on behalf of leading drone manufacturers, operators, and enterprise end users including Walmart, Wing, and Amazon.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Small UAV Coalition industry classification
Industry- Product category
- UAS Industry Trade Association
- NAICS
- Professional Organizations (81392), Business Associations (813910)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- UAS Integration, Certification & Compliance Systems (Remote ID, Detect-and-Avoid) (IMABAIAO)
Keywords
Where Small UAV Coalition is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Small UAV Coalition business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: The coalition operates on membership dues. Companies join as 'Supporter Members' and in return receive monthly update calls on UAS-related Congressional and agency developments, invites to selected Coalition events, branding on Coalition materials and website, and promotion of company news by the Coalition.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Supporter Membership — includes monthly update calls, event invites, branding, and news promotion. |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels9 records
Small UAV Coalition product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Small UAV Coalition is a membership-based trade association that recruits manufacturers, software/hardware providers, end users, and service providers in the unmanned aerial systems (UAS) industry. Its core offering is policy advocacy and regulatory engagement on behalf of members before the FAA, Congress, state legislatures, and international regulatory bodies, with the goal of enabling broad commercial, civil, philanthropic, and recreational use of small UAVs in the United States and abroad. Member benefits include monthly regulatory update calls, invites to coalition events, branding on coalition materials, promotion of company news, and coordinated participation in FAA petitions and comment letters.
Product overview
The Small UAV Coalition is an advocacy organization (not a product company) focused on advancing the commercial, civil, and philanthropic use of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the United States and abroad. The Coalition's primary offerings include: (1) a Supporter Membership program providing access to regulatory updates, Coalition events, and promotional benefits; (2) a Resource Center offering members password-protected access to advocacy documents and regulatory filings; and (3) active engagement in FAA petition proceedings and policy advocacy to shape regulations for beyond-visual-line-of-sight operations, remote identification, and expanded commercial UAS use.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Supporter Membership Annual membership program for companies in the UAS industry that provides monthly update calls on UAS-related Congressional and agency developments, invites to selected Coalition events, branding on Coalition materials and the website, and promotion of company news by the Coalition.
- FAA Petition and Rulemaking Advocacy Advocacy service in which the Coalition files comments, support letters, and petitions in FAA regulatory proceedings on behalf of member companies and the commercial UAS industry, including rulemakings on Part 107, Remote ID, beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations, and operations over people.
Quantifiable outcome
- Published a study on public benefits of commercial drone operations submitted to the FAA to assist its cost-benefit analysis for BVLOS rulemaking and FAA's Programmatic Environmental Assessment for package delivery nationwide.
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Small UAV Coalition
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Small UAV Coalition technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Small UAV Coalition partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.
- WalmartflagshipWalmart joined the Coalition as a Board Member in September 2022, reflecting its significant investment in drone delivery operations. Walmart's membership brought major retail and last-mile logistics perspective to the Coalition's regulatory advocacy efforts.
- Workhorse (Horsefly)minorWorkhorse joined as an Associate member in May 2020, bringing its end-to-end drone delivery system (Horsefly) and electric vehicle integration perspective to the Coalition.
- Dominion EnergycoreDominion Energy joined as an Associate member in August 2019, bringing energy sector perspective. The company has been pioneering drone use in the energy industry since 2014, using drones for safer, more efficient routine inspections and service restoration after major weather events.
- Iris AutomationminorIris Automation joined as an Associate member in June 2019, contributing expertise in drone safety and detect-and-avoid technologies to the Coalition's regulatory advocacy.
- Yamaha Motor Ventures & Laboratory Silicon ValleyminorYamaha Motor Ventures & Laboratory Silicon Valley joined as an Associate member in October 2018, bringing Yamaha Motor Group's expertise in industrial and agricultural drone applications.
- AeronydeminorAeronyde joined as an Associate Member in September 2018, contributing expertise in integrating AI and augmented reality into safe and secure full-service commercial drone systems.
- PerceptominorPercepto joined as an Associate Member in July 2018, bringing machine vision and autonomous multi-mission drone technology expertise to the Coalition.
- Hazon SolutionsminorHazon Solutions joined as a new member in January 2015, bringing expertise in commercial aerial infrastructure inspections using sUAVs.
- DroneDeployminorDroneDeploy joined as a new member in January 2015, contributing software platform expertise to the Coalition.
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)flagshipThe Coalition maintains an ongoing regulatory partnership with the FAA, participating in Aviation Rulemaking Committees (ARCs), filing comments on NPRMs, engaging in the UAS Integration Pilot Program, and serving as a primary industry liaison in FAA rulemaking processes for Part 107, Remote ID, BVLOS, and operations over people.
- Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI)coreThe Coalition partnered with AUVSI and Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) to launch the 'Know Before You Fly' educational campaign in December 2014, in partnership with the FAA, to provide prospective drone operators with safety and responsibility guidelines.
- Drone Alliance EuropecoreThe Small UAV Coalition joined with Drone Alliance Europe (DAE), Global UTM Association (GUTMA), and UAV DACH to issue a joint statement on U-space services and basic principles of U-space architecture, sharing a common vision on drone services and airspace access across international regulatory contexts.
- Global UTM Association (GUTMA)coreThe Small UAV Coalition is a member of GUTMA alongside Drone Alliance Europe and UAV DACH, collaborating on international drone regulatory frameworks and U-space services architecture.
- UAV DACHcoreThe Coalition collaborates with UAV DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) in a multinational association to align on U-space drone services and regulatory principles across European and US markets.
- Wing (Alphabet/Google[X])flagshipWing (Alphabet subsidiary) is a founding Board-level member of the Coalition. Wing has actively participated in regulatory proceedings and is one of the most prominent advocates for commercial drone delivery regulations, including petitions for BVLOS operations and amendments to FAA exemptions.
- Amazon (Prime Air)coreAmazon has been an active member of the Coalition since its founding, participating in the FAA UAS Registration Task Force (co-chaired by Google's Dave Vos) and contributing to regulatory advocacy for commercial drone delivery. Amazon's Prime Air drone delivery initiative is a key end-user of the regulatory framework the Coalition advocates for.
- DJIcoreDJI, the world's largest drone manufacturer, is a member of the Coalition and participated in the FAA UAS Registration Task Force. DJI brings manufacturing scale and global market perspective to the Coalition's regulatory advocacy.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Small UAV Coalition competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Consumer Technology Association (CTA): Major US trade association producing CES and representing consumer electronics. Members like DJI engage with CTA, which occasionally weighs in on UAS regulatory issues—broader incumbent rather than UAS-specialized peer.
- Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA): Established US association representing recreational and model aircraft operators. Partnered with the Small UAV Coalition on the FAA 'Know Before You Fly' campaign; covers a broader hobbyist/recreational base versus the Coalition's commercial focus.
Direct peers
- Commercial Drone Alliance: US-based industry association advocating for commercial drone integration. Directly competes with the Small UAV Coalition for member dues and policy influence on FAA BVLOS, Remote ID, and Part 107 rulemaking, with overlapping membership.
- Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI): The largest US trade association for unmanned systems and robotics. AUVSI is a direct peer of the Small UAV Coalition—both lobby on UAS policy, host events, and represent overlapping member companies (DJI, Amazon, etc.) on FAA and Congressional rulemaking.
- Drone Alliance Europe: European counterpart advocacy coalition for commercial drones. Partnered with the Small UAV Coalition on U-space statements; competes for member mindshare among multinational drone manufacturers and operators.
- UAV DACH: Regional industry association covering Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Coalition partner and peer organization focused on commercial UAV operations and U-space regulatory alignment in the DACH region.
- Global UTM Association (GUTMA): International nonprofit developing UTM/U-space standards for drone airspace management. Coalition partner of the Small UAV Coalition and a peer organization representing overlapping UAS ecosystem stakeholders globally.
Others
- National Association of Broadcasters (NAB): Trade association whose members use UAVs for aerial photography and newsgathering. Adjacent peer—NAB occasionally engages on drone rulemaking that affects its broadcast members, but it is not primarily a UAS association.
- Drone Industry Insights: Market intelligence and research firm focused on the commercial drone industry. Adjacent peer providing data and analysis that informs the Coalition's advocacy, though not a competing association.
- European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) UAS Stakeholder Bodies: EASA's stakeholder consultation groups shape EU UAS regulation analogous to the FAA process in the US. Comparable regulatory-engagement forum to what JARUS SCB and the Small UAV Coalition coordinate around in the US.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Small UAV Coalition social profiles
Digital presenceSmall UAV Coalition financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Small UAV Coalition leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Small UAV Coalition funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Small UAV Coalition M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Small UAV Coalition
What does Small UAV Coalition do?
The Small UAV Coalition is a membership-based trade association that recruits manufacturers, software/hardware providers, end users, and service providers in the unmanned aerial systems (UAS) industry. Its core offering is policy advocacy and regulatory engagement on behalf of members before the FAA, Congress, state legislatures, and international regulatory bodies, with the goal of enabling broad commercial, civil, philanthropic, and recreational use of small UAVs in the United States and abroad. Member benefits include monthly regulatory update calls, invites to coalition events, branding on coalition materials, promotion of company news, and coordinated participation in FAA petitions and comment letters.
Is Small UAV Coalition a public or private company?
Small UAV Coalition is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Small UAV Coalition founded?
Small UAV Coalition was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Small UAV Coalition based?
Small UAV Coalition is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does Small UAV Coalition make money?
One revenue line is on record: membership Dues.
Who are Small UAV Coalition's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Consumer Technology Association (CTA) and Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA). Direct peers are Commercial Drone Alliance, Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), Drone Alliance Europe, UAV DACH and Global UTM Association (GUTMA). Others are National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), Drone Industry Insights and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) UAS Stakeholder Bodies.
Does Small UAV Coalition have an API?
No public API is recorded for Small UAV Coalition.
What industry is Small UAV Coalition in?
Small UAV Coalition's product category is UAS Industry Trade Association. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMABAIAO, UAS Integration, Certification & Compliance Systems (Remote ID, Detect-and-Avoid). Its NAICS code is 81392 and its SIC code is 8600.