A U.S. congressman is proposing new legislation aimed at reducing American reliance on Chinese-made drones, citing national security concerns and the growing role of unmanned aircraft in modern warfare.


Representative Pat Harrigan, a Republican from North Carolina who serves on subcommittees of the House Armed Services Committee, is leading an effort to remove Chinese-manufactured drones from use by U.S. law enforcement agencies.


The proposed legislation, known as the American Drone Manufacturing Dominance Act of 2026, would provide financial support for police and other agencies to replace Chinese-made drones and encourage the development of a domestic drone manufacturing industry.


"Here in the United States, we've allowed China to dominate much of the global drone market while American agencies continue relying on systems built by companies tied to the Chinese Communist Party," Harrigan said in a statement to Fox News Digital.


"That's a strategic mistake," he continued.


Under the bill, federal grant funding would be tied to a requirement that agencies stop purchasing foreign-made drones after January 1, 2027. The legislation would also allocate $1.5 billion in funding, financed through tariffs imposed under Section 301 trade measures, to help accelerate the replacement of Chinese-made drones and support U.S.-based manufacturers.


The proposal reflects broader efforts in Washington to reduce dependence on Chinese technology and supply chains in sectors considered sensitive to national security.


Harrigan argued that recent conflicts have demonstrated the increasing importance of drones on the battlefield.


"One of the clearest lessons from Ukraine is that drones are no longer a niche capability; they're a foundational part of modern warfare," Harrigan said.


Drones have become an increasingly important tool for military operations, border security and law enforcement. While many major U.S. cities have imposed restrictions on drone flights, government agencies continue to expand their use for surveillance and monitoring purposes.


At the U.S.-Mexico border, drones are used to patrol large areas and assist agents in detecting illegal crossings and other activities. In a 2020 memorandum, then-U.S. Border Patrol Chief Rodney Scott highlighted plans to increase the use of unmanned technologies.


"These unmanned technologies will achieve levels of detection, response and interdiction efficiencies not realized by current CBP technological capabilities," the memorandum stated.


Many local law enforcement agencies rely heavily on drones manufactured by Chinese companies, particularly DJI, the world's largest drone maker. According to Federal Aviation Administration data cited in the report, 879 of the 966 drones registered to police and sheriff's departments in Texas in 2024 were produced by DJI.


Harrigan said the United States must develop its own drone manufacturing capacity as drones become increasingly important to public safety and national security.


"If drones are going to play a central role in national security, public safety, and critical infrastructure, America needs to be able to build them here at home," Harrigan said.


By Aghakazim Guliyev