US looking into restricting or banning drones made by 'foreign adversaries,' including China, Russia

The U.S. Commerce Department announced on Jan. 2 that it would explore how to secure the technology and supply chain of drones from foreign adversaries, including China and Russia.

The department's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) said in a statement that it was seeking public consultation "to inform the potential development of a rule to secure and safeguard the information and communication technology and services (ICTS) supply chain for drones."

The agency added that the involvement of foreign adversaries in "supply chains, including acute threats from China and Russia – may offer our adversaries the ability to remotely access and manipulate these devices, exposing sensitive U.S. data."

The U.S. and China — which produces a majority of the world's drones — have a frosty relationship, exacerbated by opposing views on foreign policy, including China's stance on Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and U.S. support for Taiwan. The U.S. blacklisted 37 Chinese companies due to security concerns on May 9.

"Securing the unmanned aircraft systems technology supply chain is critical to safeguarding our national security. This (advance notice of proposed rulemaking) is an essential step in protecting the United States from vulnerabilities posed by foreign entities," U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said on Jan. 2.

If implemented, the proposed rule change may restrict or ban drones from countries the U.S. deems as foreign adversaries.

In March 2024 the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill requiring TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance to sell its stakes in the company within six months or lose access to U.S. markets.

The U.S. is increasingly becoming more watchful of its own national security amid high-profile incidents such as foreign interference in U.S. elections.

Ukraine previously announced a ban on the use of software and websites from Russia and other sanctioned countries on Aug. 16, following high-profile cyber attacks that threatened Ukraine's national security.

China’s Xi tells Putin two countries always move forward ‘hand in hand’

Xi emphasized that China and Russia consistently advance together on a “path of non-alliance, non-confrontation, and not targeting any third party,” according to the official Chinese news agency Xinhua.

The Kyiv IndependentOlena Goncharova