Reports have emerged that U.S. President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order regulating Chinese-made drones (unmanned aerial vehicles).
According to the Washington Post (WP) on May 30 (local time), multiple executive orders to be announced as early as next week will require U.S. intelligence agencies to swiftly assess whether unmanned aerial vehicles produced by Chinese drone companies such as DJI and Autel Robotics pose a threat to U.S. national security. If they are determined to be a threat, the orders will effectively prohibit the sale of new models in the United States in the future.
The executive orders are also expected to include measures for the U.S. federal government to strengthen support for American drone companies that are struggling against low-cost competition from Chinese drones.
The U.S. government aims to boost the competitiveness of its drone industry by expanding domestic drone production, promoting investment, and strengthening technical standards, as well as to restore the domestic supply chain in related industries that have been eroded by Chinese products.
The executive orders are also expected to include regulations that would allow owners of private facilities such as railroads, oil and gas facilities, and amusement parks to request the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to restrict drone flights over their properties. This is part of enhanced security measures following past incidents of unauthorized drone intrusions at U.S. military bases.
The U.S. Department of Defense already imposed a complete ban on the use of Chinese-made drones by the military in 2018. However, Chinese drones, led by DJI?the global leader in the commercial drone market?are already widely used in the United States in various fields such as law enforcement, search and rescue, oil and gas exploration, and leisure, thanks to their high price competitiveness.
However, as U.S.-China relations have deteriorated, some states, including Florida, Tennessee, and Mississippi, have banned the sale of Chinese-made drones to law enforcement agencies, citing security risks.
In December last year, the U.S. Congress also passed a bill requiring authorities to review whether the technologies of Chinese drone companies DJI and Autel pose a threat to national security.
If the security review is not completed within one year of the bill's passage, DJI and Autel Robotics will be prohibited by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from obtaining approval for the use of wireless transmitters in new models, effectively making it impossible for them to sell new drones in the United States.
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