1.6) FCC and FAA Regulations

AERPAW Frequencies for Phase-1 Operations

• Software Defined Radio (SDR) Experiments: 3.3-3.45 GHz

• Ericsson 5G Experiments: 3.3-3.45 GHz

• Ericsson LTE Experiments: 1.7 GHz (Uplink) and 2.1 GHz (Downlink)

AERPAW's FCC Call Sign is WK2XQH and further details about AERPAW FCC experimental licenses can be found by searching with this call sign at https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/reports/CallsignSearch.cfm.    

AERPAW's FCC Innovation Zone

AERPAW's FCC Innovation Zone has been approved in August 2021 by the FCC and it includes two separate areas. 

NC State Area (Centennial Campus and Lake Wheeler Field Farms): The first area encompasses approximately 10.5 square miles for testing over the NC State University campus, a suburban residential area and a rural research farm. This area is defined as the area roughly between the Western Boulevard at the northern boundary, south of the Lake Wheeler Agricultural Research Station at the southern boundary, Gorman Street on the western boundary and South Saunders Street on the eastern boundary. The boundary for this area is within the polygon defined by the following coordinates: 

• 35° 46’ 23.4” N, 78° 39’ 12.7” W 

• 35° 47’ 06.3” N, 78° 41’ 13.0” W 

• 35° 45’ 03.3” N, 78° 42’ 42.2” W 

• 35° 43’ 21.1” N, 78° 42’ 11.9” W 

• 35° 42’ 59.5” N, 78° 41’ 16.8” W 

• 35° 43’ 01.5” N, 78° 40’ 08.1” W 

To minimize the risk of harmful interference to incumbent operations and avoid areas where airborne operations may be restricted, AERPAW's primary area for airborne transmissions within the larger Innovation Zone will be over approximately 3 square miles in the Lake Wheeler area in the southern portion of the Innovation Zone. This area is defined by the following coordinates: 

• 35° 44’ 29.9” N 78° 40’ 20.0” W 

• 35° 44’ 38.7” N 78° 41’ 32.3” W 

• 35° 43’ 58.3” N 78° 42’ 22.0” W 

• 35° 43’ 23.5” N 78° 42’ 12.3” W 

• 35° 42’ 59.5” N 78° 41’ 16.8” W 

• 35° 43’ 01.5” N 78° 40’ 08.1” W 

Town of Cary Area: The second area of the NC State Innovation Zone extends into the Town of Cary, North Carolina, and it covers approximately 3 square miles. AERPAW does not currently plan to support experimentation in the Town of Cary. 

AERPAW is working on additional bands to its FCC Innovation Zone as of November 2023. 

AERPAW and FAA Regulations

AERPAW will be operating under Federal Aviation Administration Part 107 Regulations for our year 1 experiments. Most of these flights will take place at the Mid-Pines Lake Wheeler Field Laboratory. 

• All operations will be within line of sight, under 55 pounds, less than 100 MPH, and below 400ft.

• We will be collecting data that will be used to build safety cases for waivers for the following operations. 

  1. § 107.35 – Operation of Multiple Small UAS

  2. § 107.39 – Operation over human beings