In this video I’m breaking down a big FCC update that affects pretty much anybody flying drones in the U.S.—especially DJI and Autel pilots. The FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology dropped Order DA 26-69 on January 21st, 2026, and it includes a waiver tied to 47 CFR sections 2.932(b) and 2.1043(b). Normally those rules would block “class one permissive changes” on UAS and critical components that were authorized before December 22nd, 2025—when the FCC basically dropped the hammer with the covered list situation. Here’s what it means in plain English: manufacturers can keep pushing software and firmware updates for those pre-2025 authorized drones and parts, but only for specific reasons—like patching security vulnerabilities and keeping compatibility with iOS and Android. Without this waiver, updates could’ve been shut down immediately starting January 2026. The catch is the clock is ticking: this waiver runs until January 1st, 2027, so you’ve got less than 12 months to get your firmware updates done before you’re potentially in the dark. My takeaway is this is a temporary band-aid. It helps hobbyists and commercial operators keep flying short-term, but a year isn’t long in the drone world, and long-term incompatibility or functionality issues could creep in if updates stop. The industry is heading into major changes in 2026, so now is the time to pay attention and plan your next move.