On Friday, June 6, President Trump signed two executive orders (EOs) aimed at strengthening the U.S. drone industry and enhancing protections against malicious and unauthorized drone use. The orders address key challenges facing the domestic drone industrial base and counter-unmanned autonomous systems (c-UAS) concerns from critical infrastructure operators and venues hosting mass gathering events.
The first EO, “Unleashing American Drone Dominance,” focuses on advancing U.S. leadership in drone technology by promoting innovation, reducing regulatory burdens, securing supply chains and encouraging the adoption of U.S.-manufactured drones to grow the American industrial base.
The second EO, “Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty,” targets the growing threat of unauthorized drone activity, including weaponization and incursions over sensitive sites, such as military bases. It calls for expanded counter-UAS capacity to protect national security and public safety, especially at upcoming high-risk events.
These actions come at a pivotal time, as drones play an expanding role in defense, infrastructure and national security. Yet, most federal, state and local entities lack the legal authority to conduct counter-UAS operations. Currently, only four federal agencies—the departments of Justice, Homeland Security, Defense and Energy—can perform advanced counter-UAS functions, and those authorities are set to expire in September.
Below is an overview of the directives included in each EO, accompanied by Brownstein’s outlook for key stakeholders.
Unleashing American Drone Dominance
This EO focuses on advancing U.S. leadership in drone technology by promoting innovation, securing supply chains and prioritizing the use of domestically manufactured drones. Key directives include:
- BVLOS Operations Directs the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) administrator to publish a proposed rule within 30 days to enable Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations for commercial and safety purposes. The FAA must also establish safety and performance frameworks for BVLOS and identify implementation barriers, with recommendations submitted to the director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).
- Support for the Domestic Drone Industry. Instructs federal agencies to prioritize the use of domestically manufactured UAS. The Federal Acquisition Security Council must publish a Covered Foreign Entity List to identify foreign manufacturers that pose risks to the U.S. drone supply chain. The secretary of commerce is also tasked with securing supply chains from foreign adversaries.
- Promoting Drone Exports. Instructs the secretary of commerce to expedite the export of U.S.-made civil UAS to foreign partners, provided the recipients aren’t foreign adversaries and pose no diversion risks.
- Department of Defense (DOD) Procurement. Directs the secretary of defense to expand the Defense Innovation Unit’s (DIU) Blue UAS List and to coordinate with relevant agencies on barriers to spectrum access for UAS training. Each military branch must report to the secretary of defense on programs that could be more cost-effective or lethal if replaced with UAS.
- Additional FAA Directives. Requires the FAA administrator to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to streamline UAS waiver reviews and publish an updated roadmap for integrating civil UAS into the National Airspace System.
Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty
This EO focuses on countering malicious and unauthorized drone use by strengthening enforcement, improving detection capabilities and protecting high-risk areas such as critical infrastructure and mass-gathering events. Key provisions include:
- Federal Task Force Establishment. Creates the Federal Task Force to Restore American Airspace Sovereignty, chaired by the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA). The Task Force is charged with reviewing existing regulatory frameworks and making recommendations for implementing the EO.
- Drone Flight Restrictions. Directs the FAA administrator to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) restricting UAS flights over critical infrastructure. Also requires the FAA to issue updated Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) and Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) that are easily accessible for drone geofencing and navigation systems.
- Enforcement Measures. Instructs the attorney general (AG) and FAA administrator to fully enforce applicable civil and criminal laws when drone use endangers public safety, violates restricted airspace or facilitates criminal activity. The AG must also submit proposals to the APNSA to revise penalties for airspace violations and expand access to federal grants for state, local, tribal and territorial law enforcement to acquire drone detection and identification tools.
- Detection, Tracking and Identification. Directs federal agencies to use existing authorities to deploy technologies for identifying drones and their signals across sensitive airspace.
- Counter-UAS Protections. Requires agencies to conduct risk-based assessments and submit recommendations to the APNSA for designating protected zones—such as airports and critical infrastructure—and to issue guidance for private sector owners on safe drone technology use. Instructs the attorney general and secretary of homeland security to assess within 30 days the integration of counter-UAS operations into Joint Terrorism Task Forces, particularly in preparation for large-scale events. Calls for the creation of a National Training Center for Counter-UAS to build operational capacity and readiness for federal, state and local agencies ahead of major events.
Brownstein’s Outlook
Awareness of drone and counter-UAS issues is increasing on Capitol Hill. Just last month, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on counter-UAS authorities, where Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) advocated for expanding those powers to state and local law enforcement. President Trump’s EOs underscore the administration’s focus on strengthening the domestic drone industry and enhancing counter-UAS capabilities, signaling that Republicans in Congress may prioritize further legislative action in this space.
The EOs also direct federal agencies to begin rulemakings and other initiatives in the coming months to implement their provisions. This creates a timely opportunity for stakeholders to engage with relevant agencies and shape the administration’s next steps on drone and counter-UAS policies.
