Building a Resilient U.S. Drone Industry
What happens when Drone Dominance meets the factory floor?
Mixed-methods research on how NDAA restrictions, FCC actions, Blue UAS requirements, and Drone Dominance policy are reshaping U.S. UAS sourcing, manufacturing, and procurement.
Organization
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Year
2025–2026
Industry
UAS / Aerospace Manufacturing / Public Policy
Scope
UAS Policy · Supply Chain · Manufacturing Resilience · Mixed Methods
The Challenge
The U.S. is pushing toward trusted, domestic UAS supply chains—but replacing restricted components can trigger redesign, integration, requalification, testing, documentation, and schedule disruption.
The Research
I combined 18 SME interviews, 22 survey responses, and policy analysis to study the real transition burden across manufacturers, suppliers, and policy stakeholders.
Key Findings
90.9% reported higher procurement costs.
95.5% identified insufficient domestic manufacturing capacity.
86.4% reported difficulty substituting restricted components.
What It Means
Supplier substitution is often an engineering and qualification problem—not simply a purchasing problem.
The broader challenge is balancing national security, trusted sourcing, and Drone Dominance with the industrial capacity required to execute that transition.
