Governor Youngkin signed HB1600 (“the budget bill”) on May 2, 2025. The bill includes budget item 394 #2c, which establishes a $1M grant program to assist law enforcement and other first responders to transition from drones made in countries identified as foreign adversaries. Virginia is the second state to create such a grant fund, with Florida having implemented a $25M program in 2023. The budget item becomes effective July 1, 2025.
Senator Russet Perry and Delegate Pauk Krizek introduced the original budget item following on the heels of President Biden signing the FY2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). VACo supported additional funds to help counties comply with these mandates, after surveying members in December 2024 and discovering that compliance with federal mandate would potentially impose additional financial burdens on counties.
Specifically, Sec. 1709 of the 2025 NDAA directs that within a year, any one of the five U.S. national security agencies must determine whether Chinese-made drones (specifically, DJI and Autel) pose a risk to national security. Three of the five agencies had already made this determination prior to the 25 NDAA, making it not an “if,” but a “when” the new determination would be released. Within 30 days of such a determination, DJI and Autel will be added to the FCC’s covered list, prohibiting the FCC from providing operating authorization to new DJI or Autel drones. Even if none of the five agencies make a determination in 2025, the 2025 NDAA requires that both DJI or Autel are automatically added to the FCC’s covered list.
While exact specifics are unavailable, anecdotal information indicates there are hundreds of public safety drones operating in Virginia. It is also estimated that between 85-90% of these drones are DJI and Autel drones.
In Virginia, the grant program will be administered by the Department of Criminal Justice Services, in coordination with the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security, Virginia State Police, Virginia Association of Counties, Virginia Municipal League, the Fire Chiefs and Ambulance Associations, as well as the Sheriff’s Association. Together, these entities will help establish the criteria for the program, ensuring that no grant exceeds $25,000 per drone and that the funding is only used to purchase replacement drones that are in compliance with the American Security Drone Act, enacted by Congress in 2023.
VACo thanks the General Assembly, the Governor, and our members for the advocacy and leadership on these issues and will report on updates regarding the grant program as they become available.
VACo Contact: Jeremy R. Bennett