Viewpoint: A Step Back For Public Safety Drones

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) claims to have received a determination from an executive branch interagency body with appropriate national security expertise stating that uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) and UAS critical components produced in foreign countries pose “unacceptable risks to the national security of the United States” and should be placed on the FCC’s Covered List. 

Therefore, consistent with that National Security Determination, the FCC updated the Covered List to include UAS and UAS critical components produced abroad.

While some form of action against UAS and related components produced in countries of concern such as China, Russia, and Iran was expected, the decision to essentially ban all new models and versions of foreign-made UAS and critical components caught much of the UAS industry off guard. This decision is poised to pose challenges to a wide variety of industries, including the U.S. public safety sector.

Some are calling this decision “puzzling” and “a bridge too far,” claiming it threatens to seriously hamper growth in the commercial UAS services sector in the short- to mid-term. This is an industry that was already chomping at the bit for regulations to open up, allowing it to evolve toward FAA Part 108 and Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) UAS operations, such as drone delivery. The recent action by the FCC will force many players to reevaluate their technology stack ecosystems and flight operations. In short, this action may turn out to be a noticeable step backward for the U.S. commercial drone sector.

The impacts on U.S. public safety agencies will certainly be dramatic. Aside from Florida and a few other states that preemptively enacted legislation essentially banning drone technology from China and other foreign countries of concern, government and public safety agencies in most states—as well as their supporting contractors—are actively using Chinese-made or supplied DJI and Autel drones in their aviation fleet.

According to the AIRT/Droneresponders 2025 Government and Public Safety UAS Sector Survey, of 702 respondents, 83% reported having DJI drones (China) as part of their fleet, while 22% reported having Autel drones (China).  Additionally, 8% stated they use Parrot (France), 2% Wingtra (Switzerland), and 1% ASCL (Japan) drones.  

With the new FCC action, the landscape has now become even more dire for government and public safety users. In states like Florida, the ability to select UAS solutions manufactured by U.S.-friendly companies based in France, Japan, Israel, and Switzerland helped alleviate the burden upon public safety agencies migrating away from Chinese UAS by providing them with additional choices in the marketplace. Taking all foreign options off the table is somewhat of a gut punch for UAS program managers who need a wider range of UAS and related technologies for various types of flight operations.

Aside from stifling U.S.-friendly competition, which historically breeds innovation, substantial questions have emerged surrounding the ability of the U.S. drone manufacturers to timely deliver the products that government and public safety agencies need to successfully fulfill a wide variety of public operations, including life-safety and law enforcement missions. 

We are seeing severe delays from companies like Skydio, which have kept customers waiting for several months to receive the necessary batteries they need to conduct essential operations.  One can only wonder whether this is the “tip” of the supply chain iceberg, and, if so, what the ultimate impact will be when public safety agencies across all 50 states, tribal lands, and U.S. territories require UAS products simultaneously.

Ultimately, this FCC action creates significant near-term uncertainty in the UAS sector. Additional clarity is needed to help all UAS industry stakeholders make better-informed decisions on how these changes may impact their business and government services operations. Without more comprehensive information from government policymakers, the U.S. commercial and public safety UAS sectors will remain in a holding pattern for the foreseeable future, without a clear flight path forward.

Christopher Todd is the founder and executive director of Airborne International Response Team, a nonprofit organization supporting the use of uncrewed and autonomous technology for public safety, emergency services, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief.