Senator Young sends letter to FAA, OMB supporting the President’s vision for securing american drone dominance

As President Donald Trump moves to reestablish American leadership in unmanned aerial systems, U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.), a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, sent a letter to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought urging swift action on the long-awaited Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) rule. This rule is essential to providing the regulatory certainty needed to safely scale drone operations across the National Airspace System.

“Our nation’s strength has always been fueled by our ability to innovate and outcompete our adversaries, but over years of government stagnation, our domestic drone industry has suffered,” said Senator Young. “The economic and national security threat posed by drones produced by our adversaries is grave, and the only way to counter it is to remove unnecessary and prohibitive regulations, and empower our American companies to conduct domestic research, testing, manufacturing, and deployment.”

“The time is now to retake our lead in the world of unmanned aerial systems, and I am confident that through this EO, we can fulfill this goal,” Young continued. “Indiana is the manufacturing capital of the United States, and in a time where unmanned systems have never been more important, my state stands ready to support you and the President in the research and testing of new drone technology, and the mass manufacturing and fielding needed to bring them to market.”

President Trump’s recent executive order, “Unleashing American Drone Dominance,” is designed to accelerate the integration and commercialization of American-made drones and emerging technologies like electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft. The order calls for timely regulatory action on BVLOS, the enhanced utilization of FAA test ranges, a strengthened domestic drone industrial base, and a robust export strategy. It also includes initiatives to equip U.S. warfighters with cutting-edge capabilities and reduce dependence on foreign-manufactured systems—ensuring American dominance in aviation innovation and national security.

Full text of Young’s letter can be found here and below:

Dear Administrator Bedford and Director Vought,   

I write today to inquire about the Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) rule which would give our domestic drone industry the regulatory certainty they need to safely expand operations within the National Airspace System. 

Like many Americans concerned with our economic and national security, I was pleased to see President Donald Trump’s Executive Order (EO) on June 6th titled, “Unleashing American Drone Dominance” to reassert American leadership in unmanned aerial systems. Drones are an essential technology that can provide vast economic growth, with an ever-growing number of applications to assist a variety of sectors, including precision agriculture, rescue and emergency response operations, delivery services, infrastructure inspections, and more. In addition to regulatory certainty, a clear and timely BVLOS rule would help to support the full Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) development cycle.

Outlined in the President’s EO is a requirement for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to initiate this proposed rule, within 30 days, to enable routine BVLOS operations for UAS for commercial and public safety purposes. Given that the 30-day deadline has now passed, I respectfully urge the Administration to finalize this proposal without delay.

Our nation’s strength has always been fueled by our ability to innovate and outcompete our adversaries, but over years of government stagnation, our domestic drone industry has suffered. The economic and national security threat posed by drones produced by our adversaries is grave, and the only way to counter it is to remove unnecessary and prohibitive regulations, and empower our American companies to conduct domestic research, testing, manufacturing, and deployment.  

The time is now to retake our lead in the world of unmanned aerial systems, and I am confident that through this EO, we can fulfill this goal. Indiana is the manufacturing capital of the United States, and in a time where unmanned systems have never been more important, my state stands ready to support you and the President in the research and testing of new drone technology, and the mass manufacturing and fielding needed to bring them to market.

Thank you for your diligent work to ensure that the U.S. is prepared to face the challenges of the future and secure our global leadership in this technology to strengthen our national security and build safer American skies. 

Sincerely,