By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump on Friday signed executive orders to bolster U.S. defenses against threatening drones and to boost electric air taxis and supersonic commercial aircraft, the White House said.
In the three executive orders, Trump sought to enable routine use of drones beyond the visual sight of operators – a key step to enabling commercial drone deliveries – and take steps to reduce the U.S. reliance on Chinese drone companies and begin testing electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft.
Trump is establishing a federal task force to ensure U.S. control over American skies, expand restrictions over sensitive sites, expand federal use of technology to detect drones in real time and provide assistance to state and local law enforcement.
Trump also aims to address the “growing threat of criminal terrorists and foreign misuse of drones in U.S. airspace,” said Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. “We are securing our borders from national security threats, including in the air, with large-scale public events such as the Olympics and the World Cup on the horizon.”
Sebastian Gorka, senior director of counterterrorism at the National Security Council, cited the use of drones in Russia’s war in Ukraine and threats to major U.S. sporting events.
“We will be increasing counter-drone capabilities and capacities,” Gorka said. “We will increase the enforcement of current laws to deter two types of individuals: evildoers and idiots.”
The issue of suspicious drones also gained significant attention last year after a flurry of drone sightings in New Jersey. The FAA receives more than 100 drone-sighting reports near airports each month.
Drone sightings have at times disrupted flights and sporting events.
Trump also directed the Federal Aviation Administration to lift a ban imposed in 1973 on supersonic air transport over land.
“The reality is that Americans should be able to fly from New York to L.A. in under four hours,” Kratsios said. “Advances in aerospace engineering, material science and noise reduction now make overland supersonic flight not just possible, but safe, sustainable and commercially viable.”
The Trump orders do not ban any Chinese drone company, officials said. Last year, former President Joe Biden signed legislation that could ban China-based DJI and Autel Robotics from selling new drone models in the U.S.
DJI, the world’s largest drone manufacturer, sells more than half of all U.S. commercial drones.
(Reporting by David Shepardson in WashingtonEditing by Matthew Lewis)
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