Smart Tech
Drones Unmade in China: Proposed U.S. Ban Clouds Future of Agricultural Spray Drone Industry
May 27, 2026 
The Drones for America Act is hanging out there, like an unmanned aerial vehicle in a test pattern.
Also known as S. 2168, this bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate in June 2025 by Senator Rick Scott, R-FL. It would levy escalating tariffs of 30% to 50% plus $100 over four years on Chinese-made drones coming into the U.S. It would also ban importing Chinese-drones after three years and crucial drone components such as cameras, flight controllers, and software in six years. The legislation cites a desire to support American drone manufacturers as well as to secure the supply chain from “foreign adversary countries” such as China.
S. 2168 was immediately sent to the Senate Finance Committee for review, but as of the end of April 2026, nothing else has happened, according to the congress.gov website. Yet the bill could still be acted upon until the session ends at the end of 2026. Either way, S. 2168 continues to cast some uncertainty about the continued use of spray drones, over 90% of which are made in China, in U.S. agriculture.
An Uncertain Future
Drone pilots and experts, along with growers and ag retailers, are pondering the future of drone use just as it’s expanding in the U.S. as innovations such as larger tanks for pesticides and other inputs are making these units more practical for treating larger fields.
Earlier versions from 10 or 15 years ago were more suited to the smaller fields that predominated in Chinese farming, and government funding supercharged their development, helping the country reach its dominant position in the market.
Simer Virk, an Associate Professor and Extension Specialist in Precision Ag and Machine Systems at Auburn University, says some U.S. drone networks and associations are lobbying against the passage of S. 2168 as it is and are hoping to soften some provisions to make continued use of currently available drones more feasible.
Even the small number of drones assembled in the U.S. would be affected by the Drones for America Act eventually, says Virk, “because there’s a lot of Chinese components in them, even though they are manufactured here in the U.S. So that’s why I say that ban on the components is going to actually hurt, in my opinion, a lot more, because now we have to fully come up with everything, like manufacture here and all of that.”
Alex Ryan, Director of Regulation and Policy for Agri Spray Drones, notes the U.S. is taking a “multilayered approach” by restricting federal purchase and use of drones manufactured by China as well as Russia, Iran, and North Korea. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has had a bigger impact since the beginning of 2026 when it ended approvals of new foreign-made drones and drone components unless they qualify for an exemption from the Departments of Defense or Homeland Security. However, those already approved can still be imported into the U.S.
“While existing Chinese drones remain legally flyable for private users, the practical limitation comes from parts availability,” Ryan says. “As manufacturers can’t obtain new FCC authorizations for replacement components, repair and upgrade options become increasingly limited over time.”
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