Each card gives the rule, its status, the words that matter and our part in the work. Your agency makes the determinations; we provide the evidence and the documentation.
U.S. federal budgetKey date: November 6, 2026
OMB Circular A-11 (2026), Appendix B: budgetary treatment of lease-purchases and leases
Current edition: OMB Circular A-11 (2026), Transmittal Memorandum No. 100 of November 6, 2026, which supersedes all previous versions; the Appendix B scoring rules carry over unchanged.
“budget authority will be scored in the year in which the authority is first made available in the amount of the net present value of the Government's total estimated legal obligations over the life of the contract”
What we do: We compare buying, leasing and as-a-service options in the terms OMB uses for budget scoring, and your budget office settles how each option scores, with its OMB representatives where Appendix B asks for review.
Source: OMB Circular A-11 (2026), Appendix B (whitehouse.gov, PDF) (opens in a new tab) · Checked November 10, 2026
U.S. federal (budget guidance)Key date: July 21, 2026
OMB M-26-16: Fiscal Year 2028 Administration Research and Development Budget Priorities (robotics and physical AI)
In effect: R&D budget-priority guidance issued jointly by OSTP and OMB on July 21, 2026 (NSTM-5 / M-26-16), for agencies to consider, as appropriate, in FY 2028 budget formulation.
“Robotics: General-purpose autonomous systems capable of dexterous manipulation, mobility, and reliable operation in real-world environments, to initiate the era of physical AI-driven scientific discovery and American reindustrialization”
What we do: For agency R&D programs that follow this robotics priority, we test one physical AI application in simulation first and then on site, with the payback case and the safety case attached.
Source: OMB M-26-16 (whitehouse.gov, PDF) (opens in a new tab) · Checked November 10, 2026
U.S. federal (agencies and recipients of federal grants and cooperative agreements)Key date: December 22, 2025
American Security Drone Act and OMB M-26-02: drones bought or operated with federal funds
In force; the grant-funds prohibition applies on or after December 22, 2025.
“Pursuant to section 1825 of the American Security Drone Act of 2023 (Public Law 118-31), on or after December 22, 2025, the following prohibition applies to the use of funds provided through any Federal grant, cooperative agreement, or other award”
What we do: When federal funds are involved, we screen every drone option against the federal prohibited-source rules before it enters the comparison.
Source: American Security Drone Act and OMB M-26-02 (whitehouse.gov, PDF) (opens in a new tab) · Checked November 10, 2026
U.S. federal (FAA)Key date: August 7, 2025
FAA proposed rule: Normalizing Unmanned Aircraft Systems Beyond Visual Line of Sight Operations (proposed Part 108)
Proposed (August 7, 2025; comment period reopened January 28 to February 11, 2026); the final rule has been under review at OMB's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs since July 10, 2026 and is unpublished as of November 10, 2026, so beyond-visual-line-of-sight flights use a Part 107 waiver or a public-aircraft Certificate of Waiver or Authorization.
“Normalizing Unmanned Aircraft Systems Beyond Visual Line of Sight Operations”
What we do: We plan drone inspection routes under the FAA rules and approvals in force on the day of the pilot.
Source: FAA proposed rule (federalregister.gov) (opens in a new tab) · Checked November 12, 2026
U.S. federal (executive agencies; national security systems and the Defense and Intelligence Community systems described in 44 U.S.C. 3553(e) excluded)Key date: May 22, 2026
OMB M-26-14: agency logging and network visibility (rescinds M-21-31)
In force since May 22, 2026; covers systems operated by third parties and the IoT/OT within them. CISA published the Logging Reference Architecture on August 20, 2026, which sets the agency deadlines: Agency Logging Plan by November 18, 2026, Level 1 (Basic) maturity by December 18, 2026, Intermediate by February 16, 2027 and Advanced by July 6, 2027.
“including any Internet of Things (IoT) devices or operational technology (OT) that is part of or constitutes such an information system”
What we do: Twin and robotics pilots log from the first sensor, and the logging design follows your agency's logging plan.
Source: OMB M-26-14 (whitehouse.gov, PDF) (opens in a new tab) · Checked November 10, 2026
U.S. (states without an approved State Plan, including Texas)Key date: December 29, 1970
OSHA coverage of state and local government workers (State Plans)
In force: the OSH Act's definition of employer leaves out states and their political subdivisions (29 U.S.C. 652(5)); OSHA lists 22 State Plans covering private sector and state and local government workers and seven covering state and local government workers only, and Texas is under federal OSHA jurisdiction for most private sector workers.
“State and local government workers are not covered by federal OSHA.”
What we do: In Texas we build the safety case for a municipal robot pilot on the robot-safety standards and your own safety program, include the federal OSHA duties of the contractors on site, and follow the State Plan in states with public-sector plans.
Source: OSHA coverage of state and local government workers (osha.gov) (opens in a new tab) · Checked November 10, 2026