The FCC issues two kinds of license - station licenses and operator licenses. For many years, hams had both. There was an implied station license for radios at the ham's residence, and any off-site installation (in the ham's car, for instance) required an application to the FCC. The station license concept is no longer part of the ham regulations (FCC part 97).
Similarly, back in the day, aviation communication used both licenses - the aircraft had a station license, and the aviator had an operator's license in the form of a Restricted Radiotelephone Permit (mine is still in my wallet). The operator license requirement for aviators was dropped at some point, much as was done for CB operators.
Amusing side note: the call sign of an aircraft station is the aircraft's N-number, and these sometimes fall into the same format as ham callsigns. There have been cases of ham licenses being cancelled because someone taking an aircraft out of service clicked the wrong button or checked the wrong box on an FCC form. I happen to share a call sign with a Boeing Business Jet.
To return to the topic of this thread, it might be possible for a drone operator to file an FCC Form 605 to apply for an aviation ground station license (probably the best category fit would be Unicom Station, I don't know if the 605 is that detailed). I don't know how such a station would identify itself. Actual call signs (which I assume are issued) are seldom used - most ground stations identify by location and/or function - Boston Center, Marlboro Unicom, etc.
If somebody cares to try this, I'd love to know how the FCC (and the FAA, since the FCC coordinates with them) react.
Something just occurred to me - most, if not all, aviation ground stations operate on a single, published, frequency. I have no idea whether this frequency is a provision of the license (and therefore cannot be changed), and if so is selected by the applicant, the FCC, or the FAA.
We need clarification on this whole issue from the involved federal agencies.
Similarly, back in the day, aviation communication used both licenses - the aircraft had a station license, and the aviator had an operator's license in the form of a Restricted Radiotelephone Permit (mine is still in my wallet). The operator license requirement for aviators was dropped at some point, much as was done for CB operators.
Amusing side note: the call sign of an aircraft station is the aircraft's N-number, and these sometimes fall into the same format as ham callsigns. There have been cases of ham licenses being cancelled because someone taking an aircraft out of service clicked the wrong button or checked the wrong box on an FCC form. I happen to share a call sign with a Boeing Business Jet.
To return to the topic of this thread, it might be possible for a drone operator to file an FCC Form 605 to apply for an aviation ground station license (probably the best category fit would be Unicom Station, I don't know if the 605 is that detailed). I don't know how such a station would identify itself. Actual call signs (which I assume are issued) are seldom used - most ground stations identify by location and/or function - Boston Center, Marlboro Unicom, etc.
If somebody cares to try this, I'd love to know how the FCC (and the FAA, since the FCC coordinates with them) react.
Something just occurred to me - most, if not all, aviation ground stations operate on a single, published, frequency. I have no idea whether this frequency is a provision of the license (and therefore cannot be changed), and if so is selected by the applicant, the FCC, or the FAA.
We need clarification on this whole issue from the involved federal agencies.