Rail Union Demands FAA Ban Drones Over Train Yards, Citing Surveillance and Safety Concerns

A major rail workers union has asked the Federal Aviation Administration to prohibit drone flights over rail yards and main lines, arguing that railroad management is increasingly using unmanned aircraft for employee surveillance in what the union calls one of the most dangerous work environments in America. The International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers-Transportation Division (SMART-TD) submitted its comments on October 6 as part of the FAA’s controversial proposed rule to expand beyond visual line of sight operations.

The union’s filing on FAA Docket 2025-1908 represents a stark contrast to the drone industry’s push for expanded BVLOS operations. While thousands of drone operators submitted comments supporting broader flight permissions, SMART-TD is demanding the opposite—a complete ban on drone activity over critical rail infrastructure unless approved through a strict FAA authorization process.

Union Calls Drone Surveillance “Ridiculous Hazard” in Active Rail Yards

SMART-TD says railroads have moved beyond traditional surveillance methods and now fly drones over crews during operations testing. Jared Cassity, the union’s National Safety and Legislative Director, didn’t mince words about the practice.

“Our rail yards are not laboratories or surveillance zones. They’re our offices,” Cassity said in the union’s statement. “When a drone flies overhead, it’s not just a nuisance; it’s a distraction in one of the most dangerous work environments in America. And make no mistake: if something goes wrong, it won’t be the manager behind the joystick who gets hurt. It’ll be one of our members.”

The union’s filing argues that drone operations by minimally trained managers create physical risks around moving trains and heavy equipment. According to Trains magazine, SMART-TD characterizes management drone use as “a practice that crosses every line of safety, respect, and common sense.”

National Security Concerns Over Critical Infrastructure

Beyond workplace safety, the union raises broader security concerns about normalizing drone presence over rail infrastructure.

“Once drones are a common sight over critical infrastructure, we lose our ability to tell the difference between a company drone, a spy drone, or one armed with explosives,” Cassity warned. “Railroads carry hazardous and combustible materials every day. Treating drones like harmless gadgets in that setting is not only irresponsible—it’s a national security risk.”

The union cites the increasing use of drones in modern warfare and surveillance operations as evidence that the FAA’s policy decisions today could inadvertently make rail facilities and workers more vulnerable to hostile actors.

Railroad Industry Supports BVLOS Expansion for Inspections

The union’s position creates an awkward contradiction within the rail industry itself. Major freight railroads including BNSF, CSX, and Union Pacific have been pioneers in drone technology, using unmanned aircraft for track inspections, bridge surveys, and infrastructure monitoring—precisely the kind of BVLOS operations the proposed Part 108 rule would expand.

The Association of American Railroads submitted separate comments supporting expanded beyond visual line of sight operations, though the industry group expressed concerns about certain reporting requirements and airspace regulations. BNSF has worked directly with the FAA to develop BVLOS operations for infrastructure inspections, while CSX uses drones to inspect yard trackage.

Part 108 Rule Draws Over 1 Million Comments

The proposed rule received more than 1 million public comments before the October 6 deadline, making it one of the most heavily commented aviation rulemakings in recent history. The FAA released the Part 108 proposal in August 2025 following an executive order directing the agency to enable routine BVLOS operations for commercial and public safety purposes.

The rule has drawn sharp criticism from drone manufacturers like DJI and training organizations like Pilot Institute, who warn that its requirements would exclude most current drones and operators while favoring highly automated systems. SMART-TD’s opposition adds another layer of complexity, highlighting concerns that expanded drone operations could enable corporate surveillance and create new workplace hazards.

DroneXL’s Take

This case reveals a fundamental tension in the BVLOS debate that extends far beyond railroads. The drone industry has spent years arguing for expanded flight permissions based on safety and efficiency benefits—using infrastructure inspection as a prime example. Now a major labor union is pushing back, not against the technology itself, but against how management might deploy it.

The irony is striking. Railroads have been at the forefront of commercial drone adoption, using BVLOS operations for exactly the kind of safety inspections that eliminate the need for workers to climb dangerous structures. Yet the same technology that improves infrastructure safety apparently creates new concerns about workplace surveillance and distraction hazards.

DroneXL has covered the Part 108 controversy extensively, from the FAA’s missed deadlines to industry warnings about overregulation. SMART-TD’s filing introduces a wildcard few anticipated—organized labor opposing drone expansion over privacy and workplace control issues. This could set a precedent for other industries where drones intersect with worker rights. Construction sites, warehouses, ports, and energy facilities all face similar questions about when drone operations cross the line from legitimate business use to intrusive surveillance.

The FAA now faces competing pressures: an industry demanding streamlined BVLOS approvals versus workers demanding protection from aerial monitoring. How the agency resolves this conflict in the final rule could reshape not just aviation regulations, but workplace privacy standards across multiple sectors.

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