U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order regulating Chinese drones (unmanned aerial vehicles), the Washington Post (WP) reported on the 30th.
According to WP, multiple executive orders, the announcement of which could come as early as next week, will include provisions for U.S. intelligence agencies to quickly evaluate whether unmanned aerial vehicles produced by Chinese drone companies DJI and Autel Robotics pose a threat to national security, with the potential to effectively ban the sale of new models in the U.S. if deemed a threat.
The executive order is also expected to include measures for the federal government to enhance support for U.S. drone corporations struggling against low-cost competition from Chinese drones.
The U.S. government aims to boost its drone industry competitiveness by expanding domestic drone production, promoting investment, and strengthening technical standards, while restoring the supply chain of related industries in the U.S. that have been eroded by Chinese products.
The WP reported that the executive order would also order the implementation of regulations allowing owners of private facilities, such as railways, oil and gas installations, and amusement parks, to request restrictions on drone operations above those facilities from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This is part of enhanced security measures following unauthorized drone intrusions at U.S. military bases in the past.
The U.S. Department of Defense already prohibited the use of Chinese drones by the military in 2018. However, drones from China, led by the market leader DJI, are already widely used in various fields in the U.S., including public safety, search and rescue, and oil and gas exploration, due to their competitive pricing.
However, as U.S.-China relations have deteriorated, some states, including Florida, Tennessee, and Mississippi, have banned the sale of Chinese drones to law enforcement agencies, citing security concerns.
The U.S. Congress also processed a bill in December of last year ordering authorities to review whether the technology of the Chinese drone corporations DJI and Autel poses a risk to national security.
If a risk assessment is not completed within a year of the bill's passage, DJI and Autel Robotics will be banned from receiving approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for the use of wireless transmitters for new models, making their sale in the U.S. virtually impossible.
WP reported that the executive orders being prepared by President Trump are intended to expedite these procedures by the federal government.