Because the federal authorities advances new restrictions on drones manufactured by overseas adversaries, Virginia has launched a grant program to assist legislation enforcement and first responders transition to compliant drone expertise. On this DRONELIFE unique visitor publish, Michele Satterlund, legal professional at MacAuley, Jamerson, Satterlund and Sessa and former govt director of the Unmanned Techniques Affiliation of Virginia, supplies an outline of the state’s new initiative and its context inside current federal coverage modifications. DRONELIFE neither accepts nor makes cost for visitor posts.
Virginia: Senator Perry and Del. Krizek Work to Ease Regulation Enforcement’s Transition to Safe Drones because the Federal Authorities Seeks to Remove Insecure Drones
by Michele Satterlund
Virginia is the second U.S. state to fund a devoted grant program geared toward serving to native legislation enforcement and first responders’ transition away from drones manufactured by firms in international locations designated as overseas adversaries
This initiative, spearheaded by State Senator Russet Perry and Delegate Paul Krizek, aligns with provisions within the 2025 Nationwide Protection Authorization Act (NDAA) and features a $1 million appropriation for the Virginia State Police and a separate $1 million grant program administered by the Virginia Division of Legal Justice Companies. The laws doesn’t ban any drones however supplies funding as federal coverage underneath the FY25 NDAA and President Trump’s current Govt Orders advance.
With Governor’s Youngkin’s signing of Virginia’s biennial price range on Could 2, 2025, Virginia grew to become the second state within the nation to fund a grant program geared toward serving to native legislation enforcement, firefighters and different first responders substitute drones manufactured in international locations labeled as overseas adversaries.
The originating laws, which was carried by Virginia State Senator Russet Perry and Delegate Paul Krizek, was launched shortly after President Biden signed the 2025 Nationwide Protection Authorization Act (NDAA), which directs U.S. safety companies to find out whether or not drones made by Shenzhen DJI Innovation Know-how Co., Ltd, (generally known as DJI) and Autel Robotics (Autel) pose a risk to nationwide security. If even one company makes that willpower, DJI and Autel drones shall be added to the Federal Communications Fee restricted record, making it unlawful to authorize new fashions to be used. If no willpower is made, the NDAA mandates an automated ban on new DJI and Autel drones starting January 23, 2026. Importantly, previous to the FY25 NDAA, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Division of Homeland Safety, and the U.Ss Dept of Protection all decided such drones posed a threat to U.S. nationwide safety.
The FY25 NDAA’s drone necessities acquired an extra enhance, when on June 6, 2025, President Trump signed an Govt Order (EO), Unleashing American Drone Dominancethat bolsters the safety of America’s drone use by directing the Division of Commerce to problem a proposed rule (inside 90 days) on processes for transitioning away from current insecure drone methods.
“Having served as an officer within the Central Intelligence Company, I’m keenly conscious of the safety dangers america faces from applied sciences made by our overseas adversaries,” mentioned Senator Perry, when requested about her foresight in championing this problem. “The grant laws, in addition to Virginia’s separate direct appropriation of $1 million to Virginia State Police for the acquisition of safe drones, will assist our legislation enforcement make this essential transition and can higher guarantee our nationwide safety.”
Whereas no exhausting information exists relating to the variety of drones made by DJI or Autel and utilized by Virginia’s legislation enforcement neighborhood, anecdotally obtained data signifies that Chinese language drones are utilized by 85-90% of Virginia’s legislation enforcement. “It’s essential that we help our native legislation enforcement in staying forward of the curve on this essential public security initiative,” famous Del. Krizek, who’s Chair of the Home Appropriations Public Security Subcommittee. “I used to be proud to champion this effort alongside State Senator Perry and I’m happy we can assist guarantee Virginia’s first responders can higher entry the instruments they should hold us protected.”
Virginia’s $1 million grant program follows Florida’s $25 million effort launched in 2023 and was enacted previous to North Dakota’s $9 million grant alternative program signed into legislation in late Could. The Virginia grant shall be administered by the Virginia Division of Legal Justice Companies, working along side a broad coalition of public security organizations. Grants shall be capped at $25,000 per drone and shall be restricted to fashions that meet U.S. safety requirements set by the American Safety Drone Act of 2023.
Michele Satterlund is an legal professional and lobbyist primarily based in Richmond, Virginia, and a former govt director of the Unmanned Techniques Affiliation of Virginia, with intensive expertise representing purchasers within the unmanned methods sector and advocating for progressive drone coverage initiatives. She is a associate at Macaulay Jamerson Satterlund & Sessa, P.C., and has been acknowledged for her management in legislative and regulatory issues affecting the drone business. Michele’s work has helped form state and federal coverage, supporting the protected and safe integration of drones into public security and industrial operations.
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Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, an expert drone companies market, and a fascinated observer of the rising drone business and the regulatory atmosphere for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles centered on the industrial drone area and is a global speaker and acknowledged determine within the business. Miriam has a level from the College of Chicago and over 20 years of expertise in excessive tech gross sales and advertising for brand spanking new applied sciences.
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