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The formation of the Drone Advocacy Alliance was announced today. The Alliance is “a coalition dedicated to protecting the best of American drone users to decide on and use their drones,” says a press release. “The Alliance will function a platform for drone users to learn more about laws which will impact them and make their voices heard.” From the Alliance website:
The Drone Advocacy Alliance is a non-partisan, drone-agnostic grassroots advocacy coalition. Formed at a time when proposed drone market access restrictions on the state and federal level could upend the burgeoning drone ecosystem, the Alliance works to be sure that drone users are in a position to weigh in on policies that might impact their ability to make use of and select the most effective drones for his or her operational needs.
Initial partners within the Drone Advocacy Alliance represent a wide selection of drone industry stakeholders, including Blue Nose Aerial Imaging, DJI, Dronelink, DroneSense, the Drone Service Providers Alliance (DSPA), the Pilot Institute and the Uncrewed Trade Alliance. China-based DJI is the world’s largest drone manufacturer, with a US market share estimated between 60 – 75%.
The Drone Advocacy Alliance will reply to U.S. government proposals to limit Chinese-made drone technology. “These proposals threaten to upend the American drone ecosystem, including software providers, resellers, distributors and countless end-users who’ve incorporated drones into their work. If enacted, these measures could impact everyone from consumers, to American small businesses using drones in nearly every industry across the economy, to researchers collecting data to assist us higher understand our world, to public safety agencies protecting their communities,” says the discharge.
Without delay, the Drone Advocacy Alliance specifically helps stakeholders to send emails and communicate with lawmakers concerning two current proposals: the American Security Drone Act (read the bill here) and the Countering CCP Drones Act (read the Act here.)
The American Security Drone Act and the Countering CCP Drones Act
U.S. government agencies seek to eliminate global supply chain threats and strengthen domestic production throughout the defense ecosystem, including drones. To that end, government entities have provided significant funding to U.S. manufacturers to develop recent capabilities and to expand production capability. At the identical time, in the present geopolitical climate lawmakers have continued to attempt to limit dependence upon Chinese-made technology throughout the communications and industrial ecosystem. These efforts are sometimes known as the “Huawei effect” after the telecom giant faced scrutiny over quite a few claims of mental property theft and cybersecurity threats.
The American Security Drone Act of 2023 broadly limits government purchase of drones “manufactured or assembled by certain foreign entities, including entities subject to influence or control by China, with exceptions…The ban includes associated elements that enable the operator to operate the aircraft within the national airspace system.” As well as, the American Security Drone Act would require government agencies to account for any existing fleet of drones “manufactured or assembled” in a “covered foreign entity.”
The Countering CCP Drones Act takes direct aim at DJI. From the summary of the Act:
This bill requires the inclusion of telecommunications and video surveillance equipment or services produced or provided by Shenzhen Da-Jiang Innovations Sciences and Technologies Company Limited (a Chinese drone maker commonly often known as DJI Technologies) on an inventory of communications equipment or services determined by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to pose an unacceptable risk to U.S. national security. Current law prohibits the usage of federal funding available through specified FCC programs for purchasing or maintaining listed equipment or services.
While the direct effect of the addition to the FCC list could also be relatively inconsequential, the designation of DJI equipment as posing “an unacceptable risk to U.S. national security” may very well be utilized by other entities to justify the creation of additional bans or limitations on the usage of DJI products.
Why Do Government Policies Matter to the Business Industry?
DJI is the most important drone manufacturer on the planet, with a wide selection of mature models in the marketplace. Founded in 2006, DJI is supported by greater than 14,000 employees and 15 years of technology development: and are in a position to offer industrial platforms at a cheaper price point than many competitors. DJI doesn’t specifically market to government entities, but many state and native agencies, including law enforcement and fire departments, established their programs with DJI products.
Government attempts to ban China-made drone technology have trickled right down to the state and native level, with several states enacting their very own rules. These generally unfunded state-level laws have placed public safety drone programs in a difficult position, forcing them to vary operations, replace hardware and supply recent training to personnel. In 2022, 95% of Florida law enforcement agencies surveyed responded that the proposed Florida ban would have a negative impact on their programs within the near term.
As well as, some industrial programs have also adopted unofficial bans on Chinese drone technology, forcing service providers to buy recent hardware or abandon long run clients.
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