Drones Act

Drones for First Responders (DFR) Act will  implement a new tariff on Communist Chinese-controlled drones and use the tariff revenue to establish a new grant program to help first responders, critical infrastructure providers, and farmers, purchase secure drones.

Currently, 90% of drones operated by U.S. first responders are made in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Communist China has used aggressive subsidies, direct government investment, and favorable regulations to dominate the global drone market and undercut U.S. drone manufacturers. These unfair trade practices have allowed CCP-controlled drone companies to monopolize the U.S. drone market.

Chairman Moolenaar and Congresswoman Stefanik were joined by Reps. Rob Wittman (R-VA), Ashley Hinson (R-IA), and Jim Banks (R-IN) in introducing the bill.

"A strong U.S. drone manufacturing industrial base represents a strategic imperative for the U.S. We can, and must, do more to bolster drone security for end users while supporting U.S. values, aviation leadership, and investments in manufacturing jobs. Grant programs are a common-sense mechanism for getting secure, capable drones into the hands of public safety, critical infrastructure, and agriculture applications, and with the DFR Act's revenue raising measure, the grants are at no additional cost to the taxpayer. AUVSI is grateful for Representative Stefanik's leadership on this issue and is proud to support the DFR Act. We challenge Congress pass the DFR Act and to then build off this momentum and pursue additional demand signals that will further kickstart the flywheel for U.S. innovation and manufacturing in the drone space," said Michael Robbins, President and CEO of the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI).

"Phasing-in tariffs tied with subsidies to incubate new manufacturing industries is precisely the kind of policy Congress should be embracing,” said Michael Stumo, CEO of the Coalition for A Prosperous America.

The Drones for First Responders Act will:

• Impose new incrementally increasing tariffs on PRC drones starting at 30% and increasing by 5% annually.
• Establish a new grant program for first responders, critical infrastructure providers, and farmers and ranchers to purchase secure drones that are manufactured and assembled in the U.S. or allied countries.
• Establish a strengthened rule of origin to require that drones imported to the U.S. not contain critical components that are made in the PRC by 2030.

Read the full text of the bill here.