In my capacity as President, granted by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, I hereby decree the following:
Section 1. Purpose.
Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), commonly referred to as drones, are revolutionizing productivity in the United States, generating highly skilled jobs, and paving the way for a new era in aviation. These flying marvels are already making waves across various sectors, ranging from logistics and infrastructure assessments to precision agriculture, emergency responses, and public safety initiatives. With the advent of electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, we are on the brink of transforming cargo delivery, passenger transport, and other advanced air mobility operations.
It is imperative that we hasten the safe commercialization of drone technologies and fully integrate UAS into the National Airspace System. The moment to ramp up testing, enable routine drone operations, bolster domestic production, and broaden the export of reliable, American-made drone technologies to international markets is now. Cultivating a robust domestic drone industry is crucial for diminishing our dependency on foreign sources, reinforcing vital supply chains, and ensuring that the boons of this technology reach the American populace.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
For the purposes of this directive:
(a) The term “agency” refers to the definition outlined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(1).
(b) The terms “unmanned aircraft system” and “drone” are defined according to 49 U.S.C. 44801(12).
Sec. 3. Policy.
The United States intends to maintain its leadership role in the development, commercialization, and exportation of UAS by:
(a) Accelerating the safe integration of UAS into the National Airspace System through prompt, risk-aware regulation that facilitates routine advanced operations;
(b) Expanding the domestic commercialization of UAS technologies at scale, ensuring their secure manufacturing and integration by fostering industry-led innovation, alleviating regulatory ambiguities, and streamlining approval and certification processes, particularly for consumer goods delivery and environmental assessments;
(c) Fortifying the domestic drone manufacturing base and advocating for the export of reliable, American-made UAS through enhanced economic policies, regulations, and coordinated trade and financing initiatives.
Sec. 4. Expanding Commercial Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations.
(a) Within 30 days of this order, the Secretary of Transportation, via the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), shall propose rules enabling routine Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations for UAS in commercial and public safety contexts. A definitive rule will be issued within 240 days as deemed appropriate.
(b) The Secretary of Transportation shall also, within 30 days, establish clear metrics for evaluating the performance and safety of BVLOS operations. Within 180 days, they shall pinpoint additional regulatory hurdles to BVLOS implementation and provide recommendations to the President through the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) for expeditious solutions.
(c) Within 120 days of this directive, the Secretary of Transportation will initiate the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to facilitate and accelerate the review of UAS waiver applications under 14 C.F.R. part 107. These AI tools will:
(i) Support performance and risk evaluations of proposed operations;
(ii) Identify similar precedents and suggest consistent mitigation strategies;
(iii) Assist the FAA in pinpointing operational categories with adequate safety data or consistent approval patterns that may warrant further regulation to eliminate the necessity for individual waivers;
(iv) Be utilized in line with federal AI usage guidelines as per Office of Management and Budget Memorandum M-25-21.
(d) The Secretary of Transportation shall promptly explore options to ensure that UAS flights commencing and concluding in U.S. airspace, or U.S.-owned facilities on the high seas, can operate without being encumbered by the burdensome regulations applicable to manned aircraft under international navigation as cited in the Convention on International Civil Aviation.
Sec. 5. Furthering Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration into the National Airspace System.
(a) Within 240 days of this order, the Secretary of Transportation, through the FAA Administrator, shall publish an updated roadmap for the incorporation of civil UAS into the National Airspace System.
(b) The Secretary shall ensure that all FAA UAS Test Ranges are fully utilized to foster the development, testing, and scaling of American drone technologies, emphasizing BVLOS operations, increasingly autonomous functions, and other advanced applications. The Secretary will prioritize gathering safety and performance data at UAS Test Ranges to inform FAA decision-making, identify regulatory gaps, and address operational challenges.
Sec. 6. Establishment of an Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Pilot Program.
(a) The Secretary of Transportation, in collaboration with the OSTP Director, shall initiate the eVTOL Integration Pilot Program (eIPP) as an extension of the BEYOND program to expedite the safe and lawful deployment of eVTOL operations in the U.S.
(i) Within 90 days of this order, the Secretary shall issue a public request for proposals to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments. Proposals must be submitted within 90 days of the request and include a private sector partner with a proven track record in eVTOL aircraft development, manufacturing, and operations.
(ii) Within 180 days of the request, the Secretary shall select at least five pilot projects slated to commence eVTOL operations within 90 days following the establishment of pilot project agreements. Selection criteria will include the use of eVTOL aircraft and technologies from U.S.-based entities, geographic and economic diversity of operations, and proposed models of public-private partnership.
(iii) The Secretary will formalize agreements with selected applicants, detailing project objectives, regulatory requirements, timelines, data exchange protocols, and responsibilities. The Secretary shall leverage all available authorities to ensure safe and prompt operations under the eIPP.
(iv) Within 180 days after selecting pilot program participants, the Secretary shall present an initial implementation report to the President through the OSTP Director, summarizing early-stage planning, interagency coordination, and any immediate regulatory or legislative challenges encountered. Annual reports will follow, and upon program completion, a final report will be submitted to the President, encompassing an evaluation of program goals and outcomes, recommendations for permanent eVTOL integration into the national airspace, and proposed future initiatives to sustain U.S. leadership in eVTOL flight.
(v) The eIPP will conclude three years after the first pilot project becomes operational unless the Secretary determines that an extension is necessary in the national interest.
(vi) Before and after the eIPP conclusion, the Secretary will utilize insights gained from the program to inform regulatory developments and initiatives aimed at enabling safe eVTOL operations, sharing relevant information with the Secretary of Defense, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and heads of pertinent agencies as appropriate.
(vii) The Secretary, in consultation with the OSTP Director, may expand this pilot program to include other advanced aviation aircraft as warranted.
Sec. 7. Strengthening the American Drone Industrial Base.
(a) All agencies shall prioritize the use of UAS manufactured in the United States over foreign-made counterparts to the greatest extent permissible by law.
(b) To safeguard the integrity of America’s drone supply chain and maintain control over our technology, within 30 days of this order, the Federal Acquisition Security Council shall publish a Covered Foreign Entity List, as defined in section 1822(1) of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024 (Public Law 118-31), identifying firms that pose supply chain risks.
(c) To ensure essential components remain under U.S. control and shielded from national security threats, within 90 days of this order, the Secretary of Commerce shall undertake measures, including proposing rulemaking and conducting investigations, to secure the U.S. drone supply chain against foreign influence or exploitation.
Sec. 8. Promoting the Export of American-Made Civil Unmanned Aircraft Systems.
(a) The Secretary of Commerce, in cooperation with the Secretaries of State, Defense, and Energy, shall review and, as necessary and consistent with applicable law, amend export control regulations within 90 days of this order to facilitate the expedited export of U.S.-manufactured civil UAS to foreign partners, provided the end-users and recipient countries are not recognized as foreign adversaries and the export does not present a diversion risk to concerning programs or otherwise contravene applicable statutes or regulations.
(b) The Secretary of Commerce shall classify the export of U.S.-manufactured civil UAS as a priority area within the Department’s export promotion strategy and coordinate interagency efforts to broaden market access, reduce foreign trade barriers, and enhance international interoperability.
(c) The Secretary of Defense, the Export-Import Bank of the United States President, the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation CEO, and the Trade and Development Agency Director shall, to the maximum extent allowed by law, prioritize and support the export of U.S.-made civil UAS and related systems through various means, including:
(i) Direct loans and loan guarantees;
(ii) Equity investments and co-financing;
(iii) Political risk insurance and credit guarantees;
(iv) Technical assistance, feasibility studies, and grant mechanisms;
(v) Facilitating market access; and
(vi) Any other legal incentive mechanisms available.
Sec. 9. Delivering Drones to Our Warfighters.
(a) The Department of Defense must ensure the procurement, integration, and operational training of cost-effective, high-performing drones manufactured in the United States. The Secretary of Defense shall:
(i) Ensure that all platforms on the Defense Innovation Unit’s (DIU) Blue UAS List can operate on all military installations or ranges without requiring policy exceptions as soon as practicable;
(ii) Within 90 days of this order, expand DIU’s Blue UAS List to encompass all drones and critical drone components compliant with section 848 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (“FY 2020 NDAA”) (Public Law 116-92) to the fullest extent feasible;
(iii) Update the Blue UAS List on a monthly basis;
(iv) Prioritize the procurement of drones compliant with section 848 of the FY 2020 NDAA made by U.S. companies over those produced by all other manufacturers, utilizing exemptions and waivers only when absolutely essential to fulfill mission objectives;
(v) Ensure compliance with section 848 of the FY 2020 NDAA does not hinder the rapid adoption of drone technology essential to outpacing our foreign adversaries’ capabilities.
(b) Within 90 days of this order, the Secretary of Defense shall work with the Secretary of Transportation, through the FAA Administrator, to streamline approval processes for expanding airspace access for UAS training. Additionally, within 90 days, the Secretary of Defense shall, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce and the Federal Communications Commission, provide a report to the President through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs (APNSA) detailing any unnecessary obstacles to accessing the electromagnetic spectrum for UAS training.
(c) Within 90 days of this order, the Secretary of Defense shall instruct each military department to identify programs that could be more cost-effective or lethal if replaced by UAS and submit a report to the President through the APNSA.
Sec. 10. General Provisions.
(a) Nothing in this order shall be interpreted to undermine or otherwise affect:
(i) The authority granted by law to any executive department or agency, or their heads; or
(ii) The functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget with regard to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
(b) This order shall be executed in accordance with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations.
(c) This order is not intended to, nor does it create any enforceable rights or benefits, substantive or procedural, for any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other individual.
(d) The costs associated with publishing this order will be borne by the Department of Transportation.
DONALD J. TRUMP
THE WHITE HOUSE,
June 6, 2025.
