President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that aims to usher in a new generation of drones, self-flying planes, and electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) air taxis while shutting out “unfair foreign competition” from countries like China.
The order, “Unleashing American Drone Dominance,” contains a package of measures designed to bolster the U.S. drone industry by lifting restrictions and streamlining manufacturing, testing, and access for American-built uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS).
“Our drones are deployed today in defense, public safety, and infrastructure,” said Eric Brock, CEO of drone and counter-UAS firm Ondas, in a statement. “What we needed was a clear framework to scale—and now we have it. This will accelerate commercialization across the entire industry.”
The directive was unveiled on Friday alongside another order calling for greater oversight and mitigation of UAS threats. Federal agencies and officials have long sounded the alarm on drone technology from China, in particular, accusing the foreign superpower of putting eyes in the sky. They are especially wary of the vast market share of China’s DJI, which officials have referred to as “Tiktok with wings.” DJI drones, typically flown by hobbyists, have faced bans at the federal and state levels.
“We believe American self-reliance in drone manufacturing and component sourcing is an existential necessity,” said Arthur Ericksen, CEO of crop-spraying drone developer Hylio. “Curbing the anti-competitive practices of Chinese manufacturers [is] a powerful step in the right direction.”
The order further aims to set the stage for larger aircraft that don’t fit within the current regulatory paradigm. It creates an eVTOL integration pilot program—similar to the FAA’s UAS integration pilot program launched under Trump’s first term—that would support five projects studying cargo transport, medical response, and other applications.
Capable of lifting off like a helicopter and flying on fixed wings like a plane, vertical takeoff models could enable urban operations without a runway. The FAA, NASA, and others are studying them ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, where Archer Aviation’s Midnight was recently picked to ferry spectators between venues.
“The U.S. has led the world in aerospace innovation over the last century, and we’re going to keep it that way,” Adam Goldstein, CEO of Archer, said in a social media post on X. “Thank you to President @realDonaldTrump and White House [science and technology adviser Michael Kratsios] for paving the way for our country to maintain our global leadership in this next era of flight as air taxis and other advanced aircraft commercialize.”
The Commercial Drone Alliance (CDA) and Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), two of the largest UAS trade groups, also lauded the order.
Lisa Ellman, executive director of the CDA, told FLYING in May that the industry is clamoring for a package deal that could open the floodgates while keeping rogue drones in check. Those provisions have languished in regulatory limbo for years.
“I think there is a broad recognition that this industry represents an opportunity for the Trump administration, partly because there was very little progress that was made,” Ellman said. “They talk about getting rid of red tape, enabling innovation to succeed, enabling emerging technologies. This all really falls within what the president has spoken about.”
Signs of Progress
According to Ellman, the White House’s goals—promoting domestic drones while sidelining unwanted entrants—are “two sides of the same coin.”
As of April, there are more than one million drones registered with the FAA, with about 420,000 flying for commercial purposes. That number has spiked in recent years and will only continue to grow as UAS technology advances and regulations take effect.
“Drones are no longer just useful tools—they are becoming essential infrastructure for our national security, public safety agencies, and critical industries,” said Adam Bry, cofounder and CEO of Skydio, one of the nation’s largest manufacturers.
Per a 2020 study, though, DJI alone takes up more than 70 percent of the U.S. market. The company’s drones are particularly prevalent among law enforcement and public safety agencies, complicating efforts to ban them. Trump’s order instead aims to boost domestic companies.
A core focus is the beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) provisions proposed in the FAA’s Part 108 rule. Existing regulations restrict drones to the visual range of the pilot or human observer, greatly limiting how far they can fly. Waivers and exemptions exist, but obtaining them can be tedious and time-consuming.
Part 108 would do away with that red tape, creating a process for operators to add BVLOS permissions broadly. The order calls for a proposed rule within 30 days and final rule within nine months. The provision “will level the competitive playing field for domestic drone manufacturers and operators while increasing the safety and transparency of the airspace,” the CDA said.
The directive also requires the deployment of artificial intelligence to streamline the UAS waiver process, including environmental reviews and approvals for operations like package delivery. It includes provisions designed to get American-made drones in the hands of the military.
New manufacturing and export protections for American UAS are also on the table. Federal agencies will be required to prioritize them over foreign models, and the government will use loans and other incentives to expedite exports “to the maximum extent permitted by law.” It will further search for supply chain vulnerabilities and update the list of nations that pose risks.
Safety concerns are not unique to one company or country. Both foreign- and domestic-made UAS have halted National Football League and other professional sporting events, interrupted concerts, downed planes, and invaded sensitive military airspace. The second order, though, calls for greater security measures to address those disruptions.
Small drones are already delivering food, medicine, and household goods. But the White House also wants to accelerate the development and testing of future advanced air mobility (AAM) technologies like air taxis and self-flying planes.
The directive creates the eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP): a three-year extension of an FAA effort to study BVLOS drone flight. The Department of Transportation within 90 days will issue a request for proposals for eVTOL models that can transport cargo and medical supplies in rural areas. It will use that data to create AAM regulations and share progress with the White House.
“Lasting impact will depend on whether the rest of government follows through,” said Peter Fuchs, CEO of Ascent AeroSystems.
Tim Tenne, CEO of Ondas subsidiary American Robotics, told FLYING he hopes the orders will be followed by an emergency declaration mandating final action by the FAA and DOT. Tenne worked at the FAA when the agency was developing its initial drone regulation rule, which then-President Barack Obama expedited.
“Under this type of authority, we accomplished in ten weeks what normally takes over two to three years following the normal process,” Tenne said.
For example, regulatory red tape curtailed a previous interagency review of the Part 108 rule, sending it back to the FAA until it was submitted again in May. Avoiding a similar outcome will require more than just an executive order.
“Drone regulatory policy has consistently lagged behind the pace of technology,” the CDA said. “As a result, the domestic drone industry has been unnecessarily stifled for over a decade.”
Like this story? We think you’ll also like the Future of FLYING newsletter sent every Thursday afternoon. Sign up now.
