The White House has prepared several executive orders regarding a possible ban on sales of Chinese drones in the United States. They are expected to be signed by President Donald Trump next week, The Washington Post reported, citing informed sources.
Image source: Autel Robotics
The orders also call on the federal government to invest in the U.S. drone industry, which has struggled to compete with Chinese drone makers that dominate the market. Updated rules on restrictions on flying drones in certain locations are also expected, following a series of unauthorized drone incursions into U.S. military bases in recent years, the sources said.
The orders cover commercial drones. The popularity of Chinese drones has long been a concern for national security officials. One order directs the U.S. intelligence community to expedite a review of whether Chinese drone makers DJI and Autel pose a national security threat, which Congress has mandated be completed by the end of 2024.
If the review finds that Chinese-made drones do pose a threat to U.S. national security, Chinese manufacturers could be subject to new licensing requirements that would effectively bar them from selling new drone models in the country. Chinese drones are currently widely used in the U.S., from everyday consumers to professional search-and-rescue teams to oil and gas exploration geologists.
The orders include a directive for the federal government to do more to support drone manufacturing in the U.S., the sources said, and would make it easier to fly commercial drones at long ranges, beyond the operator’s line of sight.
The orders are also expected to enforce a Federal Aviation Administration rule that allows owners of private facilities, such as railroads, oil and gas facilities, and amusement parks, to ask the agency to restrict commercial drone use over their properties. Drones over military bases and other national security infrastructure are already restricted.
Recall that the US Department of Defense imposed a ban on the use of Chinese drones by its structures in 2018. Some states, including Florida, Mississippi and Tennessee, have imposed a ban on the sale of Chinese drones to police organizations.