Spectrum

2.4 GHz ISM

2400–2483.5 MHz

An 83.5 MHz-wide, globally-available unlicensed ISM band regulated under FCC Part 15 (and equivalent rules elsewhere) — the same band used by Wi-Fi and Bluetooth — and the single most common control and/or video-link band for consumer and COTS drones worldwide.

433 MHz ISM (Region 1)

433.05–434.79 MHz

An unlicensed short-range-device band designated for ISM use in ITU Region 1 under Radio Regulations footnote 5.280, widely used in Europe/Africa/Middle East for low-power telemetry, remote control, and long-range (LoRa-class) drone control-link hardware.

5.8 GHz ISM

5725–5875 MHz

A 150 MHz-wide unlicensed ISM band regulated under FCC Part 15, commonly used for analog and digital FPV (first-person-view) video downlink on racing and hobbyist drones, and for some Wi-Fi-based control/video systems. The most common dedicated video-downlink band for FPV-class small UAS, distinct from the 2.4 GHz band that more often carries the control uplink.

868 MHz SRD/ISM (Europe)

863–870 MHz

A European short-range-device band, regulated under CEPT/ETSI rules rather than the U.S. Part 15 framework, used for long-range low-power telemetry and control links analogous to the 900 MHz ISM band used in the Americas. The European regional counterpart to the U.S. 900 MHz ISM control-link band — a common long-range drone telemetry/control frequency outside the Americas.

900 MHz ISM

902–928 MHz

A 26 MHz-wide unlicensed Industrial/Scientific/Medical band regulated under FCC Part 15, one of the most common long-range drone control-link bands in the Americas because lower frequencies propagate farther and penetrate obstructions better than 2.4/5.8 GHz for the same power. A common long-range drone control-link band in the Americas.

ADS-B 1090ES

1090 MHz

1090 MHz Extended Squitter — the Mode S transponder frequency on which most transport-category and many general-aviation aircraft broadcast identity, position, altitude, and velocity as part of ADS-B Out, mandated for most U.S. controlled airspace under 14 CFR 91.225/91.227.

ADS-B 978 UAT

978 MHz

The Universal Access Transceiver (UAT) link — a U.S.-only alternative ADS-B Out frequency generally used below 18,000 ft MSL by general-aviation aircraft, in place of 1090ES, and required to be paired with a Traffic Information Service–Broadcast (TIS-B) capable receiver to see 1090ES traffic.

BeiDou B1I

1561.098 MHz

The BeiDou Navigation Satellite System's original open-service civil signal, publicly specified by China's national BeiDou programme office. The fourth globally-operating GNSS constellation's primary civil signal; relevant wherever a multi-GNSS picture must account for non-Western constellations operating in the same general L-band neighborhood.

Galileo E1

1575.42 MHz

The European Galileo constellation's primary open-service civil signal, broadcast on the same 1575.42 MHz carrier as GPS L1 to support combined GPS/Galileo receivers. Publicly documented in the Galileo Open Service Signal-in-Space Interface Control Document maintained by the European GNSS Service Centre; relevant anywhere a multi-constellation GNSS picture (not GPS alone) needs to be considered.

Galileo E5a

1176.45 MHz

Galileo's E5a civil signal, broadcast on the same 1176.45 MHz carrier as GPS L5, in the ARNS-protected band used for safety-of-life applications. Enables combined GPS L5 / Galileo E5a dual-constellation reception in the same receiver front end; publicly documented by the European GNSS Service Centre.

GLONASS L1 (G1)

1598.0625–1605.375 MHz (FDMA, channel-dependent)

The GLONASS constellation's L1 civil frequency band. Unlike GPS/Galileo, legacy GLONASS satellites use frequency-division multiple access (FDMA) — each satellite transmits on its own channel within this range rather than a single shared carrier.

GLONASS L2 (G2)

1242.9375–1248.625 MHz (FDMA, channel-dependent)

The GLONASS constellation's L2 frequency band, also FDMA channelized, historically military-only and now additionally carrying a civil signal on modernized satellites. Used with GLONASS L1 for dual-frequency positioning and ionospheric correction in combined GNSS receivers.

GPS L1

1575.42 MHz

The primary civil GPS carrier frequency, broadcasting the legacy C/A code and the modernized L1C civil signal from every GPS satellite. Publicly specified in the GPS Interface Specifications maintained by the U.S. Space Force.

GPS L2

1227.60 MHz

Secondary GPS carrier frequency. Originally restricted to the military P(Y) code, it now also carries the civil L2C signal broadcast by modernized GPS satellites. Used with L1 for dual-frequency civil positioning and for characterizing ionospheric delay; a secondary target for wideband GNSS jamming.

GPS L5

1176.45 MHz

The newest civil GPS signal, broadcast in a radionavigation-satellite band shared with an aeronautical radionavigation allocation, giving it stronger interference protection than L1/L2 civil signals. Designed as the GPS 'safety-of-life' civil signal, with higher power and a wider bandwidth than L1 C/A; falls in the same general frequency neighborhood as Galileo E5a for interoperable dual-constellation receivers.

L-band SATCOM (approx.)

≈1–2 GHz (system-dependent)

A general frequency neighborhood, not a single fixed channel, used by several commercial mobile-satellite systems (e.g., Inmarsat- and Iridium-class services) for beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) command/control and payload relay links to larger (Group 3 and above) uncrewed aircraft.

Remote ID Broadcast

2400–2483.5 MHz (Bluetooth 4/5 or Wi-Fi, implementation-dependent)

The short-range broadcast used by FAA-compliant Remote ID unmanned aircraft to transmit identification, location, altitude, velocity, and control-station location, over Bluetooth 4/5 or Wi-Fi per the ASTM F3411 standard, as required under 14 CFR Part 89. The one cooperative, self-declared identification broadcast most small UAS operating in U.S.