What’s In Trump’s Two Drone Executive Orders?

President Trump recently signed two executive orders that are all about the drone industry.

The first thing to say is that neither of these orders has anything to do with banning DJI or Chinese drones. Leading up to the release of these orders there were a lot of rumors that this might happen—but it didn’t.

In fact, the two orders take strides toward pushing the drone industry forward.

One of the orders is called “Unleashing American Drone Dominance” and focuses on fast-tracking BVLOS (Beyond Visual Line of Sight) and supporting U.S. drone companies by making federal agencies prioritize buying from them.

The other order is called “Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty.” Its main focus is on security—keeping the skies safe by building up our CUAS (Counter UAS) equipment and training.

Keep reading for the key takeaways from the two executive orders and summaries of what each one entails, as well as a closer look at each one.

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Takeaways from the Two Drone Executive Orders

Here are the most important takeaways from the two recent orders:

• Accelerated BVLOS operations. The FAA is mandated to quickly implement rules allowing routine BVLOS drone flights.
• Support for U.S. drone companies. Federal agencies must prioritize U.S.-made drones over foreign options, giving a boost to American manufacturers.
• CUAS (Countering UAS). A new Federal Task Force will develop ways to detect, track, and mitigate rogue drones. State and local law enforcement will get grants and new technology to help spot unauthorized drones, and a new training center will be created for CUAS equipment.

Unleashing American Drone Dominance

The “Unleashing American Drone Dominance” executive order is a sweeping directive designed to remove roadblocks and propel the U.S. drone industry to the forefront of global innovation.

At its heart, the order is about enabling American drone companies to compete and lead—not just at home, but worldwide.

Central to this effort is a strong push for BVLOS. The FAA is now under orders to move much faster on rules that would allow routine BVLOS flights for both commercial and public safety missions.

Key elements of the Drone Dominance order include:

• Accelerated BVLOS rulemaking. Within 30 days, the FAA must propose a rule for BVLOS operations and set clear safety metrics. Within 240 days, a final rule must be published—putting real pressure on the agency to move quickly after years of delays.
• Supporting U.S. drone companies. Federal agencies are required to prioritize U.S.-manufactured drones over foreign alternatives, especially those from China. The goal is to strengthen the domestic supply chain, boost American jobs, and reduce reliance on foreign technology.
• AI-powered waiver process. Artificial intelligence will be used to streamline the drone waiver process, making it easier for operators to get the permissions they need to fly.
• Updated airspace integration roadmap. The FAA is directed to update its roadmap for integrating drones into the national airspace, reflecting new technologies and use cases.
• Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) push. The order establishes a pilot program for at least five projects focused on cargo transport, medical response, and other vertical mobility applications using electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.

What about Part 108?

You may be thinking—hold on, wasn’t the FAA already working on a BVLOS rule?

Yes, you’re absolutely right.

Commonly called the Part 108, this new rule has been in development for years, but several deadlines have been missed.

• September 16, 2024. This was the FAA’s deadline for releasing the draft BVLOS rule for public comment. This date passed without any rule being released, and the FAA said it aimed to release the draft rule by late 2024 or early 2025.
• Late 2024/early 2025. This timeframe also came and went without any rule coming out.

These delays have left many in the drone industry frustrated, and concerned that a final rule could be pushed out as far as 2027.

The “Unleashing American Drone Dominance” executive order directly addresses this regulatory logjam.

It imposes strict new deadlines, requiring the FAA to propose a BVLOS rule within 30 days and finalize it within 240 days of the order’s signing. While the resulting rule will likely be some version of what has been anticipated as the Part 108, the executive order ensures it will be delivered much faster than previously expected.

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Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty

While “Unleashing American Drone Dominance” is all about advancing the U.S. drone industry, the “Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty” executive order puts security front and center.

This order tackles the growing challenge of unauthorized and potentially dangerous drones, aiming to protect critical infrastructure, public events, and sensitive government sites.

Remember all the strange drone flyovers that have happened near military installations and other critical infrastructure over the last few years? This order is meant to tackle these incidents head-on.

Key initiatives of the Airspace Sovereignty order include:

• Creation of a federal task force. A new task force will be created to oversee and improve Counter-UAS strategies, ensuring coordinated efforts across federal, state, and local agencies.
• Critical infrastructure protection. The FAA is directed to establish clear processes for restricting drone operations over critical infrastructure and public facilities, with information made available for geofencing and navigation systems.
• Detection and Counter-UAS measures. Federal agencies are empowered to detect, track, and identify unauthorized drones, while local law enforcement receives grants and new technology to bolster their own capabilities.
• National training center. The order establishes a National Training Center for Counter-UAS, focused on building expertise and readiness—especially for securing major events like the World Cup and Olympics.
• Integration with terrorism task forces. The order calls for integrating Counter-UAS responses into Joint Terrorism Task Forces to enhance security at high-profile events and sensitive locations.

What’s Next?

Taken together, these two executive orders mark a big step forward for the U.S. drone industry.

By accelerating BVLOS operations, supporting domestic manufacturers, and ramping up airspace security, the administration is aiming to put American companies and operators at the forefront of global innovation—while also keeping the skies safe.

Whether you’re a commercial drone pilot, a drone maker, or a law enforcement agency, these changes signal a focus on taking action that will help the U.S. drone industry.

We’ll be curious to see how these orders impact U.S. drone companies. Will they actually sell more drones? And will they be able to meet the higher demand?

We’ll also be eager to read the draft BVLOS rule. If the FAA meets the deadline, we should have it in our hands in about one month.