On June 6, 2025, President Trump issued three Executive Orders (EOs) aimed at ensuring U.S. leadership in the development and deployment of drones (unmanned aviation systems (UAS)), electric vertical takeoff and landing aircrafts (eVTOLs), and supersonics:
Key Takeaways & Potential Actions for Industry
Together, the EOs direct federal agencies to implement a plethora of sweeping policy and rulemaking initiatives on an unusually pressing schedule, signaling an aggressive and fundamental pivot towards accelerating the commercialization and integration of these technologies into the U.S. economy. Key themes include:
- Next Generation Aviation: catalyze already rapidly emerging drone and eVTOL operations and revitalize supersonics
- Public and National Security: squarely confront potential threats to public safety and national security, reinforcing commercial opportunities
- U.S.Focused Industrial Policy: prioritize U.S. manufacturing and supply chains
- Unique Opportunities: direct the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to create an eVTOL Integration Pilot Program and, by September 4, 2025, solicit proposals to deploy eVTOLs and select at least five proposals within 180 days thereafter
- Unusually Aggressive Timelines for New Rulemakings: require new rulemakings on issues explained below beginning July 6 and September 4, 2025
- Imperative for Companies to Engage Policymakers and Anticipate Impacts: necessitate proactive advocacy to shape regulatory outcomes and planning to leverage new market opportunities and prepare for new requirements
Often referred to as advanced air mobility (AAM) technologies, drones and eVTOLs are already beginning to transform the movement of people and goods in urban and regional areas. The EOs will impact not only manufacturers but also companies already adopting or planning to adopt these technologies in industries ranging from passenger and cargo transportation and logistics to restaurant, medical and grocery delivery, precision agriculture, public safety and law enforcement, and infrastructure inspection, as well as local and regional healthcare and emergency response.
These EOs present companies with critical opportunities to shape regulatory outcomes by participating in notice-and-comment rulemaking. Most immediately, the EOs direct FAA to propose a rule by July 6 that would normalize Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations and “promptly” propose another that would restrict drone flight over fixed site facilities, including critical infrastructure; the FAA has already submitted both proposed rules to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. Companies must also proactively evaluate and plan for potential impacts, including new operational and market opportunities, effects on supply chains and government contracts, and the potential need to update training programs to optimize these opportunities and ensure continued regulatory compliance.
We summarize key regulatory and policy initiatives below.
Enabling the Rapid Commercialization of Drones and eVTOLs
The “Unleashing American Drone Dominance” and “Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty” EOs work in tandem to promote the rapid commercialization and integration of these technologies into the U.S. economy while also ensuring they enhance public safety and national security.
- BVLOS Operations. By July 6, 2025, FAA must issue a proposed rule to normalize BVLOS operations and issue the final rule “as appropriate” by early February 2026.
- Expedite Part 107 UAS Waiver Applications. By early October 2025, FAA must deploy artificial intelligence (AI) tools to expedite applications.
- eVTOL Integration / Pilot Projects
- UAS Integration Roadmap. By early February 2026, FAA must issue a roadmap for integrating civil UAS into the National Airspace System (NAS).
- eVTOL Integration Pilot Program: Directs FAA to establish the program as an extension of the current Beyond Program to accelerate safe and lawful eVTOL operations.
- eVTOL Pilot Projects: FAA must issue a request to local, tribal, territorial, or state governments no later than September 4, 2025—but possibly sooner—seeking proposed eVTOL projects that involve coordination with private eVTOL operators. Proposals are due just 90 days after the RFP issues. Once an agreement is reached governing the proposed operations, eVTOL operations must begin within 90 days of the agreement’s finalization. These pilot programs are intended to produce information that the Secretary of Transportation will use to inform future regulation.
- Prioritization of AmericanMade UAS / Securing U.S. Supply Chain
- All agencies must prioritize the integration of UAS manufactured in the U.S. to the maximum extent permitted by law.
- By July 6, 2025, the Federal Acquisition Security Council must publish a Covered Foreign Entity List that identifies companies posing supply chain risks.
- By September 4, 2025:
- the Department of Commerce (Commerce) must propose regulations and undertake investigations that will secure the U.S. UAS supply chain.
- the Department of Defense (DOD) must expand the Defense Innovation Unit’s Blue UAS List to include all compliant UAS “to the fullest extent possible” and prioritize procurement of domestic-made UAS.
- Promotion of Exports
- By September 4, 2025, Commerce (in coordination with other agencies) must amend export control regulations to enable exports of US-made UAS to foreign partners.
- Directs DOD, Export-Import Bank, U.S. International Development Finance Corporation, and Trade and Development Agency to support UAS exports through incentive mechanisms, including direct loans, loan guarantees, and political-risk insurance.
- Federal Task Force to Restore American Airspace Sovereignty
- Creates a Task Force to develop and propose solutions to UAS threats and make recommendations on the implementation of all actions in EO No. 14307.
- Protecting Critical Infrastructure
- Instructs FAA to “promptly” submit a proposed rule to be finalized “as soon as practicable” under section 2209 of the FAA Extension, Safety and Security Act of 2016 to restrict drone flight over fixed site facilities, including critical infrastructure (as defined under 42 USC § 5195c(e)).
- By early September 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Attorney General must recommend whether to designate certain areas and facilities (e.g. northern and southern land borders, large airports, and military facilities) as covered facilities under 6 USC §124n and 10 USC § 130i
- Securing U.S. Airspace
- Enhanced enforcement. The Attorney General (coordinating with FAA) must ensure full enforcement of civil and criminal laws applicable to drone operations.
- Detection, Tracking, and Identification of Drones and Drone Signals.
- Agencies – consistent with the Fourth Amendment – are to use all available legal authority.
- By August 5, 2025, FAA must provide agencies with real-time access to identifying information associated with UAS for the purpose of enforcing state and federal laws and, with DHS must publish guidance to help private owners and operators of critical infrastructure employ drone detection, tracking, and identification technologies.
- Enhance U.S. Counter-UAS Capacity to Protect Mass Gathering Events. The Attorney General, DHS, FAA, and Federal Communications Commission must take certain actions, including coordinating with the Joint Terrorism Task Forces and creating a National Training Center for Counter-UAS.
Removing Regulatory Barriers to Supersonic Aviation
While AAM technologies have just begun to emerge, supersonic aircraft have been around for decades. However, it has been over 20 years since the last commercial supersonic flight in the U.S. The "Leading the World in Supersonic Flight" EO seeks to build on engineering advances that enable enhanced fuel efficiency and noise reductions to establish the U.S. as the global leader in a new era of “safe, sustainable and commercially viable” supersonic flight.
- Removal of Operational Restrictions. The FAA must, by December 3, 2025, repeal the prohibition on overland supersonic flight (14 CFR § 91.817), making necessary modifications to § 91.818), and “take immediate steps” to repeal 14 CFR §§ 91.819 and 91.821 (re Stage 2 noise limits)
- Promulgation of Noise Certification Standards. By early December 2026, FAA must issue a proposed standard for supersonic aircraft noise certification and finalize the rule by early June 2027.
- International Alignment. Directs FAA (in consultation with Office of Science and Technology (OSTP, and other agencies OSTP considers “appropriate”) to engage the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and key foreign partners.
- NOTE: existing federal law, 49 USC § 44715(a)(2), provides that FAA may promulgate aircraft noise standards “only after consulting with” the Environmental Protection Agency.
- Advancing Research & Development. Instructs OSTP to coordinate R&D through the National Science and Technology Council (in consultation with the Departments of Defense, Commerce, and Transportation and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
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