Rep. Pat Harrigan, R-N.C., who serves on crucial subcommittees of the House Armed Services Committee, is leading a charge to phase out Chinese-manufactured drones from use in U.S. law enforcement
“Here in the United States, we’ve allowed China to dominate much of the global drone market while American agencies continue relying on systems built by companies tied to the Chinese Communist Party,”
Harrigan said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“That’s a strategic mistake,” he continued.
The bill, titled the American Drone Manufacturing Dominance Act of 2026, would offer domestic law enforcement an off-ramp for whatever Chinese-made drones they might be currently using.
It also furthers legislative ways in which Republicans have sought to step away from Chinese manufacturing and supply in sensitive areas. It also makes federal grant funding conditional on not acquiring any foreign-made drones after Jan. 1, 2027. Congressman Tom Barrett (MI-07), Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48), and Congressman Pat Fallon (TX-04) joined the legislation as original cosponsors.
“China didn’t become dominant in the drone market by accident, and we’re not going to reclaim that ground by sitting on the sidelines,”
said Congressman Harrigan.
“My bill helps law enforcement replace insecure foreign-made systems, invests in American manufacturing, and strengthens the industrial base we’ll need to compete and win in the years ahead. If drones are going to define the future of warfare, public safety, and critical infrastructure, those drones should be built in America, not Beijing.”
“AUVSI applauds Congressman Harrigan for introducing legislation to strengthen public safety infrastructure and reduce law enforcement’s dependence on CCP-controlled drone technology. As unmanned systems become increasingly critical to first responders and public safety agencies across the country, it is imperative that we protect against systems that could expose sensitive data, create persistent access, or enable remote disruption. This bill takes decisive action, requiring agencies to phase out CCP-controlled systems within five years while providing the grant funding they need to transition to secure, trusted alternatives without disrupting their operations,”
said Michael Robbins, President & CEO of AUVSI.
Under the legislation, law enforcement agencies receiving certain federal grants would phase out drones manufactured by covered foreign countries and transition to secure alternatives. The bill also establishes a buyback program to help agencies replace existing systems, creates grants for the procurement of trusted replacements, and invests in expanding domestic drone manufacturing capacity here at home.
The legislation is part of Congressman Harrigan’s broader effort to rebuild America’s defence industrial base, secure critical supply chains, and ensure the United States remains the global leader in unmanned systems technology. As adversaries continue investing heavily in drone production and battlefield innovation, Congressman Harrigan believes the United States must move with the same sense of urgency.
In its current form, the bill sets aside $1.5 billion in federal funding, funded through Trump’s Section 301 tariffs, to accelerate the removal of Chinese-made drones and would subsidize a domestic drone manufacturing base with defence applications.
Harrigan said drones have become a clear security issue in light of their use in overseas conflicts and their growing sophistication.
“One of the clearest lessons from Ukraine is that drones are no longer a niche capability; they’re a foundational part of modern warfare,” Harrigan said.
Almost all major U.S. cities have implemented restrictions on the use of drones. In Washington, D.C., for instance, drones are completely banned from use due to the federal Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) that governs highly restricted airspace.
Even so, their use has climbed in recent years — especially in border security, where their fast-moving capabilities have allowed border agents to monitor wide swaths of land.
In 2020, an internal memorandum authored by then U.S. Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott signaled CBP’s intent to significantly expand their use.
“These unmanned technologies achieve levels of detection, response and interdiction efficiencies not realized by current CBP technological capabilities,” the memorandum states.
Local law enforcement also uses drones, but is reliant on Chinese manufacturers like Da Jiang Innovations (DJI). In Texas, for instance, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Texas, for instance. The Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) said that of the 966 drones registered to police and sheriff’s departments in the Lone Star State in 2024, 879 were produced by DJI.
Harrigan believes drone use isn’t going away. But even as their use expands, he believes lawmakers should prioritize American safety through U.S. manufacturing.
“If drones are going to play a central role in national security, public safety, and critical infrastructure, America needs to be able to build them here at home,” Harrigan said.
It’s unclear when Harrigan’s bill would reach the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration.
Source: Congressman Pat Harrigan
Footnote:
In September 2025 Congressman Pat Harrigan also Introduced the SkyFoundry Act to Restore America’s Drone Dominance
.