United States · Ukraine
Erik Prince's Swarmer Buys Ukraine's Ratel Robotics for Up to $224M
Nasdaq-listed Swarmer, chaired by Blackwater founder Erik Prince, is buying Ukraine's Ratel Robotics for up to $224 million, mostly in stock.
United States
Drone policy, incidents, and industry news across the United States — from statehouses to the national airspace.
2,621
Articles
182
Beats covered
11
Reporters on beat
Sep 10
Last updated
US drone news covers the federal, state and local layers separately, because a Washington DC tariff decision and a city council’s first drone purchase move on completely different timelines and neither one explains the other.
At the federal level, the White House summoned 40 drone companies as a tariff deadline and Beijing loomed, and the DJI restrictions keep tightening: DJI is offering college students cash and free gear even as the FCC blocks its new drones from certification, a company betting on brand loyalty while it fights for market access. The FAA desk and Department of Defense desk track the rulemaking and contracts driving all of it.
States are moving on their own timelines. Washington’s commercial drone fee jumped 10x to $150 after a jet tax repeal, a state-level cost increase with nothing to do with federal policy. New York, California, Texas and Florida carry the most dedicated coverage of any states, reflecting where drone legislation, police adoption and industry activity concentrate.
Underneath the policy fights, the effect on working pilots is direct: DJI ban coverage on pilots asking whether their businesses survive is not abstract, it is operators making real supply decisions right now. Every US story, federal to local, is in the feed below.
Key facts
- What this covers
- Drone news across the United States, from federal policy fights to state legislation to individual city drone programs
- Biggest state desks
- New York, California, Texas and Florida each carry the most dedicated coverage of any US state
- The live fight
- Tariffs, the DJI restrictions and state-by-state commercial drone fees are moving fast enough to change week to week
Start here
- White House Summons 40 Drone Companies As Tariff Deadline And Beijing Loom — August 20, 2026
- Washington Commercial Drone Fees Jump 10x to $150 After Jet Tax Repeal — August 25, 2026
- DJI Ban Hits Home: Drone Pilots Ask Whether Their Businesses Survive — August 20, 2026
Last updated September 10, 2026 — the feed below updates with every new story.
US Government
White House Drone List: Three Trump-Family Firms In, Ten Winners Out
The White House list for its Drone Dominance event names 40 entries. All three Trump-family drone firms made it. Ten of eleven Gauntlet I winners did not.
DFR
St. Paul Pulls $200K Police Drone Grant. There Was No Plan B
St. Paul's council withdrew a $200,000 grant request for more police drones a week after the deputy chief said there was no other money to expand.
Counter-Drone
1,500 US Agencies Are About To Get Counter-Drone Powers
A new federal rule lets certified local agencies detect and disable drones. The government expects about 1,500 of them to sign up within two years.
Drones for Good
2,977 Drones Rebuild New York's Twin Towers for 9/11
A 2,977-drone tribute rebuilt the Twin Towers at full architectural scale over New York Harbor, one light for every life lost on 9/11.
DOCKET 26-189
I Scored Every FCC Drone Ban Comment. On the Money Question It Was 1,701 to One.
Pilot Institute coded all 3,824 readable filings in FCC docket 26-189 against the 11 questions the Commission actually asked. Here is what the record says.
Amazon
Amazon Says Quieter Than a Truck. Its FAA Filing Says 92 Decibels
Amazon told Baton Rouge its delivery drones beat an idling truck. Its own FAA noise filing puts the delivery hover at 92.1 decibels.
DFR
St. Paul Votes on Police Drones Two Days After Pond Rescue
St. Paul's council decides Wednesday whether police can chase a $200,000 federal grant for more drones. Two members have already said no.
Frequently asked questions
What is the single biggest US drone story right now?
The overlapping fights over DJI restrictions and drone tariffs. A White House meeting summoned 40 drone companies as a tariff deadline and Beijing loomed, and 100% tariffs on thermal drones landed the same month small operators started openly asking whether their DJI-built businesses survive.
Does DroneXL cover state-level drone law?
Yes, both state legislation and the local fee and permitting changes that follow it. A Washington state commercial drone fee jumping 10x to $150 after a jet tax repeal is the kind of story covered as it happens, alongside dedicated archives for the highest-activity states.
Which US states have their own archive on DroneXL?
New York, California, Texas, Florida and New Jersey currently have dedicated state pages, reflecting where drone news volume is highest. Coverage for other states exists through search and tags even without a standalone page yet.
— The DroneXL Briefing · Free
The drone industry moves fast. Stay ahead of it.
One email with the drone news that matters — DJI, FAA, public safety, and everything in between, straight from the newsroom. No spam, no fluff.
Free forever. Unsubscribe in one click.
8,400+
Articles published
340+
Beats & desks
2020
Covering drones since
100%
Independent