Trump’s drone security Executive Order: “Airspace Sovereignty”

In a sweeping move for the drone industry, President Donald J. Trump signed a drone security Executive Order on June 6, 2025, titled “Ensuring American Sovereignty Over Its Skies.”

The Executive Order dropped on a Friday afternoon, the same day Trump signed an Executive order focused on BVLOS drone flights. Here at The Drone Girl, I jumped on that news immediately (and you should read my story with some deeper analysis on what’s to come), as it has more directly to do with the drone industry’s path forward for innovation.

But with the weekend behind us, it’s time to focus on the second Executive Order that came out at the same time — but that also has to do with drones.

The Executive Order directs the creation of a Federal Task Force to “Restore American Airspace Sovereignty.” That group would create rules to mandate restricted airspace designations over critical infrastructure. It also paves the way for widespread deployment of drone detection and counter-UAS systems. (Read the full text of the drone security Executive Order here).

The goal is twofold: protect sensitive sites from drone intrusions and empower law enforcement at every level to detect, track, and respond to aerial threats in real time.

What the drone security Executive Order means for the drone industry

While Trump’s other order from the same day focuses on unleashing commercial drone potential, this directive tackles the rapidly growing risks posed by rogue drones — whether used by criminals, foreign adversaries or maybe just careless hobbyists. With it, Trump wants a comprehensive plan to secure the national airspace.

This isn’t just a policy statement — it’s a blueprint for reshaping how the United States protects its low-altitude airspace from modern threats.

But even though it’s a counterdrone order, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. According to some drone industry leaders, it’s a long-overdue step.

“Outdated regulations have long impeded technological innovation and hindered transparency in our airspace,” said Lisa Ellman, CEO of the Commercial Drone Alliance (CDA) in a prepared statement. “(President Donald Trump’s) executive actions recognize that Americans deserve the widescale benefits offered by commercial drones while also taking steps to protect the public from rogue operators.”

Trump’s Executive Order pointed to some of the more nefarious use of drones. The order suggested that drones are now regularly used to smuggle fentanyl across the border, deliver contraband into prisons, and surveil law enforcement.

But it’s not necessarily just drones intended to be used for nefarious purposes. Other bad actors might be harming drones. The Executive Order suggested that mass gatherings like concerts and sporting events could be increasingly vulnerable to drone-based disruptions. Military bases, water reservoirs, power plants, and large airports have all reported untraceable drone incursions.

“Criminals, terrorists, and hostile foreign actors have intensified their weaponization of drone technologies, creating new and serious threats to our homeland,” the White House said in a statement.

What to expect from Trump’s drone security Executive Order

This executive order directs the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator to establish a process for drone flight restrictions over key facilities and infrastructure, alongside new authorities for the Attorney General to enhance civil and criminal enforcement against illegal drone operations.

What does that mean in practice? From a technical perspective, implementing this vision requires robust, layered airspace surveillance.

“This requires layered detection and response capabilities,” said Michael Healander, CEO of Airspace Link. Airspace Link is one of just five companies authorized by the federal government to control drone air traffic on behalf of the FAA.

“Our platform integrates UAS detection, airspace monitoring, geofencing with encroachment alerts, and real-time threat assessment to create security perimeters around critical infrastructure,” he said.

But Healander also emphazised some key differences between what might just be negligent pilots versus true threats. For example, an intelligent system can differentiate between a lost recreational drone operated by a bad pilot versus a deliberate act of espionage or sabotage.

“For military installations and critical infrastructure, we’re working with detection partners to provide complete airspace awareness—knowing not just where authorized drones are operating, but identifying potential security threats before they become incidents.”

Creating a National Training Center for Counter-UAS

To that end, the order establishes a National Training Center for Counter-UAS, where federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement agencies can build capacity and learn to deploy detection systems effectively. This will be critical ahead of major upcoming events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics, which the Trump Administration suggested could be prime targets for disruptive drone activity.

Making more information public

The order also requires the FAA to make Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) and Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) freely available online for drone geofencing and navigation systems. This open-data approach helps ensure that law-abiding drone operators have the tools they need to stay compliant while bolstering automated airspace management systems.

Calling on private sector infrastructure owners to help

There’s also a clear message to private sector infrastructure owners. The executive order directs agencies to publish guidance that helps facilities like water treatment plants and utility substations deploy their own drone detection and countermeasure technologies. This decentralization of drone security reflects the reality that not all threats can be stopped by federal forces alone.

How the drone industry is thinking about Trump’s drone security Executive Order

The Commercial Drone Alliance (CDA), which is a drone industry advocacy group praised the Executive Orders’ proactive stance on counter-UAS. A statement from the CDA cited top initiatives, including:

• Advancing delayed rulemaking to prohibit rogue drones over sensitive sites
• Training law enforcement on counter-drone tech
• Promoting real-time detection technologies.

“We are pleased to see this Administration take decisive action to address some of the biggest barriers to safe and scalable drone use in our country today,” said CDA Policy Director Liz Forro in a prepared statement.

While the commercial drone industry has long pushed for more permissive regulations on operations like BVLOS, Ellman and the CDA have consistently emphasized that innovation and security must go hand in hand.

“The CDA has always considered innovation and security to be complementary,” she said. “We look forward to working with the Administration to ensure timely execution of these critical mandates.”

Want to learn more? The White House released a fact sheet with more details.

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