The Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) today voiced strong support for new actions taken by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to scale the deployment of small uncrewed aircraft systems (sUAS) for our warfighters and strengthen the American drone industrial base.
The DoD’s new acquisition guidance reflects input from AUVSI and its members, including policy recommendations from the association’s Partnership for Drone Competitiveness white paper including measures to stabilize demand signals, support vendor growth, and expand U.S. production capacity for secure, mission-ready drone systems.
“This is a win for the warfighter, for taxpayers, and for the U.S. industrial base,” said Michael Robbins, President & CEO of AUVSI. “This move sends a clear message: the U.S. is serious about restoring leadership in drone innovation and delivering real capability to the warfighter. The DoD is not just removing obstacles, it is actively creating an environment where innovation can flourish, where vendors can bring new autonomous technologies forward with clarity and confidence, and where small drones are treated as the force-multiplying assets they are.”
Issued in response to White House Executive Order 14307, “Unleashing American Drone Dominance,” the Secretary of Defense’s memorandum empowers frontline units, including O-6 commanders and their equivalents, to acquire, operate, and adapt Group 1 and 2 drones based on mission needs. The memo also directs military departments to overhaul outdated procurement policies, increase the use of operationally relevant training and testing environments, and leverage tools such as advance purchase commitments and direct loans to expand domestic drone production. The DoD guidance for advance purchase commitments, direct loans, and other incentives closely align with AUVSI’s long standing policy recommendations.
“AUVSI commends Secretary Hegseth and the Department for taking bold, decisive action to enable rapid procurement and operationalization of American drone systems at speed and scale,” said Robbins. “This marks a major shift toward acquisition strategies that match the urgency of today’s operational demands and reflect the evolving nature of warfare. These reforms slash red tape and bring decision-making to the warfighter, which is exactly what’s needed to maintain an edge in today’s threat environment.”
The DoD memo reinforces and expands upon the intent of EO 14307 and the broader national security strategy included in H.R. 1, the recently passed budget reconciliation bill, which allocates billions in funding to accelerate development of U.S.-made sUAS, loitering munitions, and counter-drone technologies. Together, these efforts offer a path to strengthen domestic production, reduce reliance on adversary-made systems, and ensure frontline units receive the tools they need to meet modern threats.
AUVSI and its members look forward to continued partnership with DoD to support implementation of these reforms and to ensure that acquisition efforts prioritize performance, responsiveness, and mission effectiveness.
