U.S. Military Drone Policy Gets a Shakeup: What’s Working—and What Still Needs Fixing
Faster, Leaner, More Tactical: The Good News
A recent policy shift by the Department of Defense marks a major turning point in how the U.S. military approaches drones. Prompted by a June 2025 executive order, the Pentagon is now treating drones more like consumable assets and less like expensive, slow-to-deploy aircraft. That means fewer bureaucratic hurdles and more flexibility in the field.
One major change: authority for purchasing and testing drones has been pushed down to colonels in the field, rather than being managed centrally from Washington. This empowers frontline units to experiment and adapt, rather than waiting months for approval. According to the Heritage Foundation, this change allows troops to “learn by doing”—testing small drones quickly, even if that means breaking a few along the way.
In short, the military is finally unlocking the ability to move at the speed of innovation, rather than the pace of paperwork.
Still Playing Catch-Up: The Bad News
While these reforms are promising, conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation warns that there’s still a long way to go—especially when it comes to scaling drone production and defending against enemy systems.
The U.S. remains heavily reliant on a weak industrial base for drone manufacturing, far behind China and Russia in both capacity and speed. The report calls for significant investment in rebuilding domestic drone production, particularly for systems that can be produced in large numbers and deployed quickly.
Counter-drone strategies are also falling behind. A separate Heritage report says that U.S. efforts to defend against uncrewed aerial systems (C-UAS) remain fragmented and underfunded. Base commanders still face red tape when trying to protect their installations, and the military lacks affordable, widely deployed kinetic countermeasures.
The Bigger Picture: Uncrewed Systems at the Forefront
These changes come amid a wider military shift. The U.S. Army, for example, is working toward flipping its force mix—moving from 90% crewed aircraft to 90% uncrewed platforms in the coming years. Plans are already underway to issue 1,000 drones per division, reflecting a $36 billion modernization initiative.
Despite this momentum, the Heritage Foundation cautions against swinging too far in the other direction. Drones should be seen as force multipliers—not full replacements for tanks, artillery, ships, or manned aircraft. The message: don’t throw out traditional capabilities in the rush toward new tech.
What It Means for the Drone Industry
For commercial drone manufacturers and service providers, the message is clear: the U.S. government is finally serious about integrating drones into frontline operations. But to meet the need, domestic industry must be ready to scale—fast. Companies that can deliver reliable, cost-effective platforms at volume are likely to find themselves in high demand.
At the same time, the market for counter-drone technologies is set to grow as defense officials recognize the need for layered, responsive protection against evolving threats.
Final Takeaway
The analysis highlights a clear turning point in U.S. drone policy. The Pentagon is taking bold steps to modernize—reducing bureaucracy, pushing authority to field commanders, and recognizing the value of rapid experimentation. But success will depend on follow-through: building industrial capacity, advancing counter-UAS systems, and ensuring drones support, rather than replace, full-spectrum military strength.
Read more:
- Can the U.S. Catch Up? Trump’s Executive Orders Aim to Spark Drone Manufacturing Boom
- U.S. DoD Invests in Drone Companies through CARES Act
- Department of Defense Accelerates Drone Procurement: A Game-Changer for Military Operations
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.
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The Heritage Foundation is not known for its superior technical knowledge. And they are so wrong about so many things that we should always be skeptical of their pronouncements. But even a stopped clock provides the correct time twice a day. This may be the case here.