Drone Advocacy Alliance - Jun '25 State-Level Updates on US DJI Drone Ban Legislation

Federal Updates

Last Friday, President Trump issued executive orders on “Unleashing American Drone Dominance” and “Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty,” both of which contained several drone-related provisions. The vast majority of these were positive for the industry, such as boosting American drone manufacturing and speeding up beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) rulemaking – something that has been holding the U.S. drone industry back for years. The DAA appreciates these important steps from the Trump administration for moving the industry forward on these long-delayed items.

In addition, despite rumors earlier in the week, the executive orders did not include a ban on Chinese-manufactured drones or any provisions related to the mandated security review from Sec. 1709 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2025.

Since the EOs did not address the security review, now is a great time to take action on the DAA campaign calling for that review to take place. As a reminder, if that review does not take place by December, DJI and Autel drones could find themselves banned by default – harming end users across America. The DAA fully supports this analysis taking place to provide a full understanding of the security of these drones. If letters have not yet been submitted, visit the "Take Action" page of the DAA website to do so.

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State Updates

ALERT IN NEW YORK

Overnight, the DAA heard that the harmful bill in New York has been added to the floor calendar for today, the last day of the Senate session. That means today is the last chance for an all-out push to kill the bill for this year. Legislators need to hear from drone users NOW. If located in New York or with contacts in the state, please take action on the New York campaign today before the bill comes to the floor for consideration in the final hours of session.

Arizona

The Arizona legislature is focused on the budget process, something that must be completed by the end of this month. The DAA is working to ensure that no provisions restricting drone use are included. However, no further movement on harmful standalone legislation is expected this year.

Illinois

Good news in Illinois, where the legislature has adjourned without taking action on harmful drone legislation! There is a small chance they may be called back for a special session later this year, but the DAA does not expect the issue to come up as part of that process.

Louisiana

Monitoring continues in Louisiana, a state where the legislature is still in session. A committee canceled a previously scheduled vote on the harmful drone bill, but the DAA remains alert in case that vote is rescheduled. Work also continues with end users in the state to educate lawmakers about the bill’s consequences. Prepared materials are available to help engage and can be found in the DAA Google Drive, and sharing with networks in Louisiana is appreciated.

Michigan

With the help of some fantastic end users, the DAA continues to push back on a bill in Michigan that would prevent local government entities, including public safety and public schools, from contracting for Chinese-made drones. Materials and public safety drone use examples to support the effort are available in the DAA Google Drive.

Nevada

Great news from Nevada, where the governor signed a bill into law late last week that allows public safety agencies to once again procure and use drones manufactured in China if they meet certain data security criteria. This is a huge win, and the first time that country-of-origin restrictions have been repealed in this way. Although American manufacturers plan to lobby to reverse this measure, the Nevada legislature only meets every other year – providing plenty of time to prepare and push back on any future efforts.

Ohio

The Senate has introduced a companion bill to the recent House bill that would restrict the purchase and use of certain drones. While both bills are still in the early stages of consideration, materials have been prepared to help push back on each, which are available in the DAA Google Drive. The legislature is expected to go on summer break but will return in the fall, meaning the bills are still very much alive.

Oklahoma

The Oklahoma legislature has adjourned for the year without taking action on proposed drone bans. Thanks to everyone who reached out.

Texas

Fantastic news in Texas, where the legislature has adjourned without taking action on some of the most harmful bills such as HB 41 and SB 1585. This is an incredible accomplishment and highlights the impact of strong end-user opposition throughout the process. It demonstrates that when the industry comes together, voices truly make a difference. Thank you to everyone who engaged in Texas this year.

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Stay Aware of the Latest

To stay aware of the latest developments between partner updates, check the tracker of state legislative threats, which is regularly updated in the Drone Advocacy Alliance Google Drive link. For any questions, feel free to reach out to the DAA.

If you have any thoughts you would like to share about these initiatives, please reach out to the DAA at info@droneadvocacyalliance.com