Harrigan Unveils $1.5 Billion Bill to Phase Out Chinese Police Drones by 2027
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jun 25
Harrigan Unveils $1.5 Billion Bill to Phase Out Chinese Police Drones by 2027
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 25
Summary
$1.5 billion in federal funding would help U.S. law enforcement replace Chinese-made drones under Rep. Pat Harrigan’s new bill, which also bars grant recipients from buying foreign-made drones after Jan. 1, 2027.
Harrigan cast reliance on drones from firms tied to the Chinese Communist Party as a security risk, arguing their growing role in warfare, public safety and critical infrastructure makes domestic production essential.
Texas illustrates the dependence the bill targets: 879 of 966 drones registered to police and sheriff’s departments in 2024 were made by DJI, a dominant Chinese manufacturer.
The measure would be funded through Trump’s Section 301 tariffs and aims to build a U.S. drone manufacturing base with defense applications, though it is still unclear when the House will take it up.
As the 2027 deadline looms, can a new U.S. drone industry replace the thousands of foreign models used by American police?
With no public proof of spying, is the ban on Chinese drones a vital security measure or a costly industrial experiment?
U.S. Drone Ban 2024: National Security, Legal Battles, and the Race to Build a Domestic Industry
Overview
The United States is moving to reduce its reliance on foreign-made drones due to growing national security concerns. Through the American Security Drone Act of 2023, the government now requires a list of 'covered foreign entities'—including those on the Consolidated Screening List—whose drones are banned from federal procurement. This aims to protect critical infrastructure and intellectual property from vulnerabilities linked to foreign drone technology. As of November 12, 2024, new contract rules prohibit acquiring drones from these entities, marking a clear shift toward securing the drone supply chain and encouraging domestic alternatives.