FCC Bans Foreign-Made Drones, Raising Concerns for Agriculture
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced in December it will prohibit all new foreign-made drones and parts from entering the U.S.
The announcement comes from two Executive Orders signed by President Donald Trump in June, including Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty and Unleashing American Drone Dominance.
The orders direct federal agencies to reduce reliance on foreign-manufactured unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and strengthen domestic drone production.
According to the FCC, the ban of foreign-made drones followed a review convened by the White House and conducted by an Executive Branch interagency body with national security expertise. The review found UAS and UAS critical component parts that are produced in foreign countries pose “unacceptable risks to the national security of the United States and the safety and security of U.S. persons.”
The FCC said the ruling does not affect consumers’ ability to continue using drones they already own. Retailers may continue selling and importing drone models that were approved earlier this year or in previous FCC authorization cycles. However, restrictions apply to all new device models going forward.
China is the world’s largest drone manufacturer, and with the growing role of drones both in the military and commercial sector, technology from Chinese-controlled companies poses a risk to the U.S., the Trump administration said.
Last year, U.S. lawmakers dropped language from defense legislation that would have required a study of national security risks tied to drones made by China’s DJI Technologies and Autel Robotics. Under the provisions, import restrictions would kick in if an assessment wasn’t completed within a year.
As currently approved models wear and phase out, the ability to utilize drones for agricultural purposes becomes uncertain.
Limited availability of drones and parts could prevent farmers and ranchers from adequately managing pesticide and fertilizer use, monitoring crop stress, checking livestock and other essential tasks.
Drones have become an important part of modern farming, and many of those systems are foreign-made,” Laramie Adams, Texas Farm Bureau associate director of Government Affairs, said. “It is critical we ensure the technology, such as drones, are secure. And we must also make sure farmers’ access to drones and drone parts remain protected as they utilize this technology.”
