Drones for America Act

The Drones for America Act would (1) raise import duties on unmanned aircraft and certain components imported from the People’s Republic of China, with a staged, escalating tariff schedule over four years and a final per-unit plus value-based charge; (2) tighten “rules of origin” for U.S. entry of unmanned aircraft and parts, requiring certification that critical flight-control and other components are not manufactured in China (with a FAA-approved exemptions pathway and an official list by 2026); (3) create a dedicated Secure Unmanned Aircraft Systems Trust Fund funded by duty receipts, to support a grant program for first responders, farmers and ranchers, critical infrastructure providers, and U.S. manufacturers of UAS components; (4) set out grant procedures, priorities, and reporting for the fund; and (5) define key terms (such as “covered foreign entity” and “foreign adversary country”) to guide the program and tariff application. The overall aim is to bolster U.S. drone supply chain security and accelerate domestic production by making Chinese-made drones more expensive and by directing funds to domestically secure and develop UAS capabilities.