• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • DroneRacingLife
  • DroneFlyers
  • Newsletter
DroneLife

DRONELIFE

Stay up to date on all the latest Drone News

  • News
  • Products
  • Industries
    • Agriculture
    • Construction
    • Delivery
    • Dual Use
    • Inspection
    • Public Safety
    • Surveying
  • Enthusiasts
  • Regulations
  • Business
  • Video
  • Podcasts

Trump Issues Executive Orders on Drones

June 6, 2025 by Miriam McNabb Leave a Comment

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).

FAA Mandate to Regularize BVLOS Flight

A major provision in the “Unleashing American Drone Dominance” Executive Order is the explicit directive for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to regularize flight beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS). This marks a pivotal development for the U.S. drone industry, as BVLOS operations are widely recognized as essential for scaling commercial drone activities, including drone delivery, infrastructure inspection, and other advanced applications.

For several years, the BVLOS rulemaking process has been stalled, with the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) facing repeated delays. This regulatory uncertainty has limited the ability of companies to expand operations and realize the full economic potential of drone technology. The lack of a clear BVLOS framework has forced operators to rely on individual waivers, creating inefficiencies and barriers to broader adoption.

The new Executive Order directs the FAA to prioritize and expedite the establishment of standardized BVLOS regulations. By doing so, the administration aims to unlock new commercial opportunities, foster innovation, and enable the U.S. to remain competitive in the global drone market. The move is expected to accelerate the integration of drones into the national airspace, supporting use cases such as package delivery, linear infrastructure inspection, and emergency response—sectors where BVLOS capability is critical for efficiency and scalability.

Industry observers and stakeholders will be closely watching how the FAA implements this mandate and whether it leads to the timely release of long-awaited BVLOS rules. Until the full text of the Executive Order is published, the specific impact on the BVLOS rulemaking timeline remains uncertain, but this directive signals a renewed federal commitment to resolving one of the industry’s most pressing regulatory challenges.

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.

Read more:
  • Progress in BVLOS Rulemaking: A Turning Point for U.S. Commercial Drone Operations
  • Commercial Drone Alliance’s Lisa Ellman Calls for Restoring American Leadership in Drones at Industry Summit
  • White House Summit on Advanced Air Mobility Addresses Security Concerns, and the Need to Authorize cUAS Systems
Miriam McNabb

Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional drone services marketplace, and a fascinated observer of the emerging drone industry and the regulatory environment for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles focused on the commercial drone space and is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry.  Miriam has a degree from the University of Chicago and over 20 years of experience in high tech sales and marketing for new technologies.
For drone industry consulting or writing, Email Miriam.

TWITTER:@spaldingbarker

Subscribe to DroneLife here.

Filed Under: Drone News, Drone News Feeds, Drones in the News, Featured, Featured - FAA and Regulations, News Tagged With: airspace security, airspace sovereignty, American drone industry, AUVSI Michael Robbins, BVLOS regulation, Counter UAS, Drone Detection, drone export policy, Drone Policy, drone regulation update, FAA BVLOS, FAA drone rules, National Airspace, Trump Executive Orders, U.S. drone leadership, U.S. drone manufacturing, UAS innovation

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

LATEST

Custom Robotics for Complex Challenges: How SKA Robotics Builds What Industry Needs

SKA Robotics supplies custom-made systems for industry By DRONELIFE Features Editor Jim Magill As drone manufacturers and other high-tech industries…

Continue Reading Custom Robotics for Complex Challenges: How SKA Robotics Builds What Industry Needs

Indian Army Awards Emergency UAV Contract to ideaForge

₹137 Crore Deal Will Deliver Indigenous Hybrid Mini UAVs for Critical ISR Missions As geopolitical tensions continue to highlight the…

Continue Reading Indian Army Awards Emergency UAV Contract to ideaForge

Don’t Get Grounded: Why Multi-Platform Software Is a Must for Drone Operations

As the drone industry braces for possible restrictions on Chinese-manufactured technology, operators are being forced to rethink their tech stack.…

Continue Reading Don’t Get Grounded: Why Multi-Platform Software Is a Must for Drone Operations

The Silent Invasion: How Israel’s Small Drones Infiltrated Iran

In a dramatic escalation of Middle East tensions, Israel has deployed a sophisticated network of small drones, including First-Person View…

Continue Reading The Silent Invasion: How Israel’s Small Drones Infiltrated Iran

DJI Announces FlightHub 2 On-Premises and Updated Security White Paper Amid Ongoing U.S. Security Debate

Company Highlights Data Privacy Efforts as Lawmakers and Critics Raise Concerns Over National Security and Supply Chain Dependence DJI Introduces…

Continue Reading DJI Announces FlightHub 2 On-Premises and Updated Security White Paper Amid Ongoing U.S. Security Debate

Choctaw Nation Launches Cutting-Edge Aviation Technology Center in Southeastern Oklahoma

New Facility Will Support Drone Innovation, Job Creation, and Rural Healthcare Solutions The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (CNO) marked a…

Continue Reading Choctaw Nation Launches Cutting-Edge Aviation Technology Center in Southeastern Oklahoma

Low-SWaP Radars Bring Mobile Drone Detection to the Tactical Edge

New radar technology enables rapid, high-performance drone detection for security teams on the move Compact Solutions for Evolving Threats As…

Continue Reading Low-SWaP Radars Bring Mobile Drone Detection to the Tactical Edge

How Can Ground Robots Solve the Toughest Challenges in Industrial Inspections?

Don’t miss Arix Technologies on the Drone Radio Show! Crain Malloy, CEO of Arix Technologies talks with host Randy Goers…

Continue Reading How Can Ground Robots Solve the Toughest Challenges in Industrial Inspections?

Fortem Technologies Expands Manufacturing to Meet Global Demand for Counter-Drone Systems

New Utah Facility Doubles Production Capacity for DroneHunter®, TrueView™ Radar, and Drone Interceptors As the threat from small drones continues…

Continue Reading Fortem Technologies Expands Manufacturing to Meet Global Demand for Counter-Drone Systems

Terra Drone and MODEC Renew Partnership to Advance Offshore Oil Tank Inspections

Japan’s Terra UT drone delivers safer, faster, and more accurate non-destructive testing for FPSO crude oil storage tanks by DRONELIFE…

Continue Reading Terra Drone and MODEC Renew Partnership to Advance Offshore Oil Tank Inspections

Secondary Sidebar

Footer

SPONSORED

Inspired Flight Gremsy IF800 VIO F1 drones geo week

What Will It Take to Strengthen U.S. Drone Manufacturing? A Conversation with Inspired Flight’s CEO

Global Mapper Mobile data collection

Collection Ground Control Points with Global Mapper Mobile

Military Drone Mapping Solutions

How SimActive’s Correlator3D™ is Revolutionizing Military Mapping: An Exclusive Interview with CEO Philippe Simard

Photogrammetry Accuracy Standards

SimActive Photogrammetry Software: Enabling Users to Meet Accuracy Standards for Over 20 Years

NACT Engineering Parrot ANAFI tether indoor shot

Smart Tether for Parrot ANAFI USA from NACT Engineering

Blue Marble, features global mapper, features Blue Marble

Check Out These New Features in Global Mapper v25 from Blue Marble

About Us | Contact Us | Advertise With Us | Write for Us | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service

The Trusted Source for the Business of Drones.

This website uses cookies and third party services. By clicking OK, you are agreeing to our privacy policy. ACCEPT

Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT