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11. August 2025
Congress Unveils Bipartisan Bill To Boost Us Drone Exports
The US Congress has introduced the Leading Exports of Aerial Drones Act (LEAD Act), a bipartisan bill aimed at encouraging domestic production and export of military drones. The legislation would reclassify unmanned aerial systems bound for export, allowing them to be treated in the same way as manned aircraft under current regulatory regimes.
Proponents argue that this change would significantly speed up the process for exporting American-made drones to U.S. allies, boosting the domestic drone-making industry and putting an end to China’s dominance of the global drone market. Republican Senator Tom Cotton claims that the bill “allows U.S.-made drones to be exported to our military allies using the same strict process already in place for exporting U.S. military aircraft like the F-16.”
The LEAD Act is part of a broader effort by lawmakers to promote “U.S. drone dominance,” a concept first mentioned by the Trump administration. Other initiatives include executive orders issued by President Trump, which focus on making it easier for domestic drone producers to manufacture UAVs for the Department of Defense (DOD) and for export to allied nations.
One key element of the LEAD Act is its reclassification of drones for export. Current regulations treat drones similarly to missiles when exported, while manned aircraft receive more favorable treatment. This outdated approach has led to lengthy procurement processes, which can take up to four or five years. The new legislation aims to simplify these procedures and speed up approvals.
The bill seeks to create an incentive for American UAV manufacturers and drone industry investors to expand their capacity to produce drones not just for use by the U.S. Department of Defense, but also for allied governments. Senator Cotton argues that this would lead to a strengthening of the domestic production base and help America’s drone industry become more competitive globally.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz has recently introduced the SkyFoundry Act of 2025, which aims to establish drone research and production facilities at the Red River Army Depot in Texarkana, Texas. This bill would allow private drone manufacturers to develop and produce a million drones annually for the DOD.
The proposed legislation calls for the establishment of two government-owned facilities: one focused on innovation and another dedicated to production of small UAS. The innovation facility would be operated by the U.S. Army Materiel Command in coordination with U.S. Futures Command, serving as the research, development, and testing hub for new drone technology.
The bill is written in such a way that the selection of sites for the two facilities is narrowed down to the Red River Army Depot, which meets several qualifications, including being located within 50 miles of four states. The Texarkana location was chosen due to its existing infrastructure and accessibility.
In June, President Trump issued an executive order aimed at kick-starting U.S.-based drone production. This document focused on making it easier for domestic drone producers to manufacture UAVs for the DOD and for export to allied nations.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has issued a memorandum calling for military leaders to “bolster the nascent U.S. drone manufacturing base by approving hundreds of American products for purchase by our military.” This document also instructs military leaders to arm combat units with low-cost drones made by American engineers and AI experts.
The proposed legislation represents a significant shift in how warfighters access drone technology, aiming for faster and easier access. The U.S. Army is launching a new digital marketplace to match unmanned aerial systems (UAS) with warfighter needs based on mission requirements and verified performance data.
This platform represents a fundamental change away from traditional acquisition models, where lengthy procurement competitions would be replaced by an Amazon-style storefront. Platforms would be tiered—bronze, silver, and gold—based on verified range, endurance, payload, and compliance with NDAA guidelines.
The Army’s forthcoming UAS marketplace is aligned with a broader Defense Department directive, “Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance,” which mandates that every squad be equipped with low-cost, expendable drones by the end of 2026. This directive underscores the urgency of developing, acquiring, and fielding small UAS more rapidly to maintain battlefield superiority.
Executive actions have been taken to bolster American drone manufacturing, including sweeping executive orders aimed at accelerating procurement of U.S.-made UAVs, streamlining export barriers, and expanding the Department of Defense’s Blue UAS list to include more NDAA-compliant platforms.
These initiatives signal a concerted push to revitalize the U.S. drone industrial base, aiming to rebalance supply and ensure national security needs are met by domestic capabilities. Despite this favorable policy environment, domestic drone companies still face significant hurdles, including high labor and material costs, gaps in tooling and fabrication infrastructure, and the legacy of outsourced production.
Overcoming these structural constraints will be crucial to translating executive and Department of Defense directives into enduring industrial capacity. The Army’s UAS marketplace, backed by aggressive federal policy and goals, represents another step in a major evolution in how warfighters access drone technology—faster, easier, and with greater accountability.
However, its success hinges on the ability of the U.S. drone industry to scale effectively yet remains competitive. Manufacturing bottlenecks, higher costs, and supply chain limitations are real and must be addressed to ensure the long-term viability of these initiatives.
The LEAD Act represents a significant step towards achieving this goal, while also aligning with broader efforts to promote “U.S. drone dominance.” The bill’s passage marks a strategic turning point in the U.S. military’s push to transform drone access and production, and its impact will be felt for years to come.