Non-military unmanned aerial vehicles and airships — ECCN 9A012
Controls non-military UAVs flown beyond the operator's natural vision that meet stated endurance and wind gust thresholds.
The entry, quoted as it reads today
a. “UAVs” or unmanned “airships”, designed to have controlled flight out of the direct 'natural vision' of the 'operator' and having any of the following: a.1. Having all of the following: a.1.a. A maximum 'endurance' greater than or equal to 30 minutes but less than 1 hour; and a.1.b. Designed to take-off and have stable controlled flight in wind gusts equal to or exceeding 46.3 km/h (25 knots); or a.2. A maximum 'endurance' of 1 hour or greater; Technical Notes: 1. For the purposes of 9A012.a, 'operator' is a person who initiates or commands the “UAV” or unmanned “airship” flight. 2. For the purposes of 9A012.a, 'endurance' is to be calculated for ISA conditions (ISO 2533:1975) at sea level in zero wind.3. For the purposes of 9A012.a, 'natural vision' means unaided human sight, with or without corrective lenses. b. Related equipment and “components”, as follows: b.1 [Reserved] b.2. [Reserved] b.3. Equipment or “components” “specially designed” to convert a manned “aircraft” or a manned “airship” to a “UAV” or unmanned “airship”, controlled by 9A012.a; b.4. Air breathing reciprocating or rotary internal combustion type engines, “specially designed” or modified to propel “UAVs” or unmanned “airships”, at altitudes above 15,240 meters (50,000 feet).
Corpus last verified 2026-08-29. Skenai never shows unquoted regulation.
In plain language
9A012 is the civil counterpart to the military aircraft entries. It applies to unmanned aerial vehicles and unmanned airships designed for controlled flight out of the direct natural vision of the operator. Natural vision means unaided human sight, with or without corrective lenses.
Beyond that gate the entry turns on endurance. A maximum endurance of 1 hour or greater is controlled on its own. Endurance of 30 minutes to 1 hour is controlled where the aircraft is designed for stable flight in 25 knot gusts.
Endurance is a defined figure, calculated for ISA conditions at sea level in zero wind. Paragraph b adds conversion equipment for turning a manned aircraft into an unmanned one. It also adds engines specially designed to propel a UAV above 15,240 m.
The questions this entry turns on
- 01Is the aircraft designed to have controlled flight out of the direct natural vision of the operator?
- 02Is maximum endurance 1 hour or greater, calculated at ISA sea level in zero wind?
- 03Is endurance between 30 minutes and 1 hour, and is the aircraft designed for stable flight in gusts of 46.3 km/h or more?
- 04Is the item specially designed to convert a manned aircraft or airship into an unmanned one?
- 05Is the engine specially designed or modified to propel a UAV above 15,240 m?
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What typically falls in, and what typically falls out
Typically in
- A fixed-wing mapping UAV with 90 minutes endurance flown beyond visual line of sight, typically reading onto 9A012.a.2
- A VTOL inspection aircraft rated at 40 minutes and designed for 25 knot gusts, typically caught by 9A012.a.1
- A conversion kit that turns a light manned aircraft into a remotely piloted one, typically caught by 9A012.b.3
Typically out
- A consumer camera quadcopter with 25 minutes endurance flown within the operator's sight
- An indoor FPV racing drone with a few minutes of flight time
- A tethered observation multirotor held in view above a fixed site
These are typical cases, not determinations. Which side a specific product lands on turns on the answers in the Interview.
Adjacent entries
- Aircraft and related articles — USML Category VIII22 CFR 121.1, Category VIII(a)
- Other navigation, avionics and airborne communication equipment — ECCN 7A99415 CFR 774, Supplement No. 1, ECCN 7A994
- EAR99 designation for items subject to the EAR — 15 CFR 734.3(c)15 CFR 734.3(c)
Does your product land on this entry?
The Interview asks 5 to 9 questions, only the ones this entry turns on, and names the Determination free. The Dossier is the dated, cited record of how it was reached.
Free, no account. Dossier $249 if you want the record.