Following release of the final language of the FY 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) President and CEO Michael Robbins made the following statement: 

“AUVSI applauds the leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees for their work on the FY 2025 NDAA, which contains numerous provisions to bolster the integration of uncrewed systems, robotics, and autonomy within the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).

The realities of modern defense pacing and national security threats demand urgent, whole-of-government action. The FY 2025 NDAA demonstrates Congress's clear recognition of the vital role that uncrewed systems, robotics, and autonomy play today, and that they will drive the future of national defense. 

AUVSI calls on Congress, DOD, and the defense industrial base to build on this momentum and strengthen our efforts to build an Uncrewed Arsenal, for Democracy.”

The FY 2025 NDAA supports key areas for the uncrewed systems industry including: investing in defense modernization and autonomy, supporting resilient supply chains and U.S. competitiveness, and addressing unsecure PRC technologies. 

First, the legislation makes needed investments and policy changes to address autonomous technologies, uncrewed systems, and counter-UAS capabilities: 

• Increases funding for critical DOD programs and offices, including the Defense Innovation Unit, AFWERX Prime, Replicator, and autonomy engineering for the Next Generation Combat Vehicle, exceeding requested amounts; 
• Furthers the transition of hybrid and electric vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft and autonomy technologies from the Agility Prime program into the active Armed Forces (Section 229); 
• Addresses the threat of sUAS to U.S. forces and bases (Sections 353, 925, 1073, 1089, and 1090); 
• Strengthens U.S. assistance and the transfer of weapons, including uncrewed systems, to Taiwan (Section 1323); and,
• Includes AUVSI-backed language requiring industry and government cooperation on Unmanned Maritime Autonomy Architecture (Section 1031).

Second, the NDAA supports the development of a secure supply chain for critical technologies and bolsters U.S. drone competitiveness: 

• Directs DOD to create a supply chain risk framework and develop a plan to increase the manufacturing capacity of the domestic and allied component supply chain. Congress also calls on DOD to incentivize private sector investment in this critical technology (Section 162); and 
• Increases supply chain resiliency for drone and uncrewed system manufacturing (Section 865). 

Third, it takes steps to identify and mitigate national security risks posed by unsecure PRC technologies: 

• Requires national security agencies to assess drones from DJI Technologies and Autel Robotics—inclusive of any subsidiary, affiliate, or licensor—and place new equipment on the Federal Communications Commission’s Covered List if they are found to pose a national security risk (Section 1709); 
• Directs the DOD to disassemble and determine the supply chain risk level of each component inside PRC drones (Section 162); and 
• Includes AUVSI-supported language requiring a study and report on DOD’s use of Chinese-made unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) and robotics and prohibiting the procurement and operation by the DOD of covered UGVs from covered foreign entities (Section 1078). 

Robbins applauded the inclusion of security measures in the FY 2025 NDAA, stating: 

“This year’s bill builds on the progress made in the FY 2024 NDAA, which extended the DOD’s PRC drone procurement ban to all U.S. government agencies. It further acknowledges the threats posed by PRC drones and ground robotics while advancing efforts to transition the U.S. away from such dependencies. 

However, much work remains. AUVSI has consistently highlighted the economic and national security risks of relying on PRC technologies, and we will continue to advocate for a level playing field for U.S. and allied drone and component manufacturers. American reliance on foreign adversaries for critical capabilities must end.”