Senators Ignite Crackdown on Chinese Drone Use by FAA

In an attempt to strengthen national security, two US senators, Marsha Blackburn (Republican) and Mark Warner (Democrat), have introduced a new proposal to prevent the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from purchasing or utilizing drones made in China. This bipartisan proposition also seeks to inhibit the FAA from allotting federal funds to foreign drone companies originating from China and a few other nations including Russia, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, and Cuba.

“Taxpayer dollars should never fund drones manufactured in regions that are hostile toward the U.S.,” Blackburn stated. This bill aligns with the national agenda of promoting local manufacturing while ensuring national security, as she added, “this helps curb the importation of drones produced by our adversaries, keeping our nation safer and encouraging manufacturing here at home.”

Furthermore, this legislation mandates that the FAA replace all drones manufactured in China with those made in the U.S. or allied nations within a year. The FAA, currently operating over a dozen Chinese-made drones, did not immediately comment on the proposition.

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This legislative move comes in the wake of Senator Marco Rubio’s appeal last week to the U.S. Capitol Police to cease using drones manufactured by Autel Robotics, a China-based company, due to security apprehensions.

This is not the first time actions have been taken against Chinese-made drones. In 2020, the Commerce Department imposed export restrictions on top drone maker DJI, accusing it of aiding in the oppression of China’s Uyghur minority or assisting the military.

Additionally, earlier this year, Representatives Elise Stefanik and Mike Gallagher proposed a bill to add DJI to the Federal Communications Commission’s Covered List, thereby preventing it from operating on U.S. communications infrastructure.

According to the lawmakers, more than half of the drones sold in the U.S. are produced by DJI, making it the most favored choice among public safety agencies.

READ: RESPONSE TO PROPOSED DJI BAN, HOUSE BILL 2864, AND THE COUNTERING CCP DRONES ACT