Trump Issues Executive Orders on Drones

President Donald J. Trump issued two major Executive Orders today, June 6, 2025, as part of a broader set of actions to strengthen American leadership in drone technology and enhance the security of national airspace. These measures, detailed in official White House fact sheets, aim to accelerate innovation, clarify regulatory authority, and reinforce U.S. competitiveness in the global drone and advanced aviation sectors.

Unleashing American Drone Dominance

The first Executive Order, “Unleashing American Drone Dominance,” sets forth a comprehensive agenda to expand the United States’ leadership in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).

Other key provisions of the Executive Order include:

• Accelerating Domestic Drone Manufacturing: The order directs federal agencies to prioritize procurement of U.S.-made drones, reducing reliance on foreign-sourced platforms for government and critical infrastructure use.

• Streamlining Regulatory Approvals: Agencies are instructed to identify and remove regulatory barriers that slow the deployment of advanced drone technologies, including those related to type certification and operational approvals.

• Investing in Research and Workforce Development: The order calls for increased investment in research and development, particularly in autonomy, artificial intelligence, and secure communications, as well as initiatives to expand the skilled workforce needed for the drone sector.

• Enhancing International Competitiveness: The administration will work to promote U.S. drone exports and leadership in international standards-setting bodies, aiming to ensure American technologies and practices shape the global market.

Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty

The second Executive Order, “Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty,” focuses on safeguarding the nation’s airspace from evolving drone-related threats. Notable elements include:

• Expanded Law Enforcement Authority: The order grants broader authority to law enforcement agencies for the detection and identification of drones operating in U.S. airspace, empowering agencies to respond more effectively to unauthorized or suspicious drone activity.

• Clarification of Mitigation vs. Counter-UAS: The order separates the issue of “mitigation”—the active disabling or neutralization of drones—from the broader use of counter-UAS technology that enables airspace awareness and the ability to detect, identify, and track. This distinction clarifies that while agencies may expand detection and identification efforts, the deployment of mitigation tools will remain tightly regulated.

• Modernizing Airspace Security: The order directs the development of updated protocols, technologies, and interagency coordination mechanisms to address emerging risks from unmanned aircraft, including threats to critical infrastructure and public safety.

Context and Implications

These Executive Orders are among several enacted today, reflecting a coordinated federal approach to modernizing U.S. drone policy.

The announcement was met with strong support from industry leaders. Michael Robbins, President and CEO of the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) emphasized the importance of the Administration’s actions:

“Innovation and security must advance in lockstep, and these Executive Orders reflect a clear understanding that drones and autonomous aviation are central to U.S. economic strength, national security, and global leadership. We applaud the Trump Administration for their leadership in advancing policies to promote U.S. leadership in advanced aviation. By prioritizing long-overdue enabling rules and security reforms, the Administration is sending a strong signal that the U.S. will lead in the future of advanced aviation. We look forward to supporting swift implementation and ensuring this momentum translates into scalable opportunity for our industry.”

Robbins noted that the Executive Orders represent a significant step toward reducing regulatory uncertainty, accelerating innovation, and reinforcing U.S. competitiveness in the global autonomy race.

Today’s Executive Orders represent a significant policy advance in both the promotion of domestic drone capabilities and the enforcement of airspace security. The separation of detection/identification from mitigation in law enforcement authorities is a notable development, but the drone industry and public safety agencies will need to await further details to fully assess the operational and regulatory impacts. The precise implications for BVLOS rulemaking and other enabling regulations will become clearer once the Executive Orders are published in full.