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32 changes: 29 additions & 3 deletions src/pages/blog/ietf-internet-draft-pilot-protocol.astro
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import BlogLayout from "../../layouts/BlogLayout.astro";

const bodyContent = `
<p>Pilot Protocol has an IETF Internet-Draft on file. Two documents - a problem statement and a full protocol specification - are live on the IETF Datatracker, the formal record for internet protocol proposals. Here is what each one covers and what filing actually means.</p>

<p><span class="tag accent">draft-teodor-pilot-protocol-01</span></p>

<h2 id="what-we-submitted">What We Submitted</h2>
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<p>Nobody is addressing the network and transport layer for agents. That is the exact space Pilot Protocol occupies. We are the only protocol that gives agents virtual addresses, encrypted UDP tunnels, NAT traversal, port-based services, and a bilateral trust model - below the application layer, where MCP and A2A operate.</p>

<p>The positioning is simple: A2A defines <em>what</em> agents say to each other. Pilot defines <em>how they reach each other</em>.</p>
<p>The positioning is simple: A2A defines <em>what</em> agents say to each other. Pilot defines <em>how they reach each other</em>. See how this plays out concretely in <a href="/blog/connecting-mcp-servers-across-agents">connecting MCP servers across agents</a> and in our <a href="/blog/pilot-vs-tcp-grpc-nats-comparison">comparison of Pilot against TCP, gRPC, and NATS</a>.</p>

<h2 id="problem-statement">The Problem Statement</h2>

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<p>We're particularly interested in feedback on the security considerations, the relationship to QUIC, and whether the problem statement adequately motivates the need for a network-layer solution.</p>

<p>For the underlying mechanics referenced across both drafts, see how NAT traversal works in practice in our <a href="/blog/nat-traversal-ai-agents-deep-dive">NAT traversal deep dive</a>.</p>

<div class="cta">
<h3>Read the Drafts</h3>
<p>Both Internet-Drafts are live on the IETF archive. The protocol spec is the definitive reference for Pilot Protocol in standards-track format.</p>
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</div>`;
---
<BlogLayout
title="Pilot Protocol IETF Internet-Drafts Published"
description="We submitted two Internet-Drafts to the IETF: a problem statement for agent network-layer infrastructure and the full Pilot Protocol specification. Both are live on the Datatracker."
title="IETF Internet-Draft: Pilot Protocol Files Agent Network Spec"
description="No IETF draft covers the agent network layer. Pilot Protocol just filed two — a problem statement and full protocol spec — live on the Datatracker."
date="March 15, 2026"
tags={["ietf", "standards"]}
canonicalPath="/blog/ietf-internet-draft-pilot-protocol"
bannerImage="/blog/banners/ietf-internet-draft-pilot-protocol.webp"
faqItems={[
{
question: "What is an IETF Internet-Draft?",
answer: "An Internet-Draft (I-D) is a working document submitted to the Internet Engineering Task Force for review and discussion. It is the standard mechanism for proposing new internet protocols and a prerequisite for eventual publication as an RFC (Request for Comments)."
},
{
question: "Does an IETF Internet-Draft make Pilot Protocol a standard?",
answer: "No. Filing an Internet-Draft does not make Pilot an IETF standard. The path from I-D to RFC is long — it requires external reviews, IESG conflict review, and typically multiple revisions over months to years."
},
{
question: "What do the two Pilot Protocol drafts cover?",
answer: "The Problem Statement (Informational) explains why agents need network-layer infrastructure, modeled after RFC 7364. The Protocol Specification (Experimental) is the full wire spec — addressing, packet format, tunnel encapsulation, session layer, NAT traversal, and security — in IETF format."
},
{
question: "How does Pilot differ from other IETF agent protocol drafts?",
answer: "Over a dozen AI agent protocol drafts have been filed at the IETF, and every one operates at the application layer over HTTP. Pilot Protocol is the only draft addressing the network and transport layer — virtual addresses, encrypted UDP tunnels, NAT traversal, and a bilateral trust model, below where MCP and A2A operate."
},
{
question: "Where can I read the Pilot Protocol Internet-Drafts?",
answer: "Both are live on the IETF archive: the Protocol Specification at draft-teodor-pilot-protocol-01 and the Problem Statement at draft-teodor-pilot-problem-statement-01."
}
]}
>
<Fragment set:html={bodyContent} />
</BlogLayout>
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</ul>
</blockquote>
<hr>
<p>When we submitted the initial Pilot Protocol Internet-Drafts to the IETF in March 2026, the protocol had a solid core: 48-bit virtual addressing, UDP tunnel encapsulation, X25519 key exchange, and a registry-mediated trust model. Three weeks and 80+ commits later, the implementation has grown substantially. Revision 01 brings the formal specification in line with what the code already does.</p>
<p>When we submitted the initial Pilot Protocol Internet-Drafts to the IETF in March 2026, the protocol had a solid core: 48-bit virtual addressing, UDP tunnel encapsulation, X25519 key exchange, and a registry-mediated trust model. Three weeks and 80+ commits later, the implementation has grown substantially. Revision 01 brings the formal specification in line with what the code already does. See the <a href="/blog/ietf-internet-draft-pilot-protocol">original Internet-Draft submission</a> for the full background on why we filed with the IETF.</p>
<p>This post walks through what changed in each draft and why it matters for the broader IETF conversation around AI agent networking.</p>
<h2 id="table-of-contents" tabindex="-1">Table of Contents</h2>
<ul>
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