The White House announced that U.S. President Donald Trump signed three executive orders to strengthen national defenses against drone threats and advancing the future of aviation technologies, including electric air taxis and supersonic commercial flights.
One of the key goals of the orders is to expand the routine use of drones beyond the operator’s line of sight, a step seen as essential for the widespread rollout of commercial drone deliveries. The initiative also seeks to reduce U.S. dependence on Chinese-made drones and promote testing of electric vertical takeoff and landing (EVTOL) aircraft, according to international news agencies.
To reinforce airspace security, Trump directed the formation of a federal task force that will oversee U.S. airspace control, implement new restrictions around sensitive sites, and deploy technology to detect unauthorized drones. The system is designed to assist state and local law enforcement in managing drone-related incidents.
Michael Kratsios, then Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, emphasized the importance of protecting U.S. skies from threats, saying, “We are securing our borders from national security threats, including the airspace, especially as large-scale events like the Olympics and the World Cup draw closer.”
Sebastian Gorka, a senior counterterrorism official at the National Security Council at the time, highlighted the increasing use of drones in modern conflicts such as the war in Ukraine, and the potential risks they pose to major U.S. sporting events.
“We are committed to strengthening our capabilities to counter drone threats,” he said.
Another significant directive from Trump was aimed at reviving supersonic passenger travel over land. He ordered the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to lift the 1973 ban that prohibited aircraft from flying faster than the speed of sound over land due to noise concerns.
Environmental groups have opposed the return of supersonic flight, citing the higher fuel consumption per passenger. However, Kratsios argued that technological advances have changed the equation:
“Americans should be able to fly from New York to Los Angeles in under four hours. Supersonic flight is now safe, sustainable, and commercially viable thanks to breakthroughs in aeronautical engineering, materials science, and noise reduction.”
The executive order instructs the FAA to allow aircraft to exceed the speed of sound if they do not produce loud sonic booms at ground level.
Aircraft manufacturer Boom Supersonic praised the policy shift. CEO Blake Scholl said, “The supersonic race has begun. We are entering a new era of commercial aviation.”
Officials clarified that the executive orders do not ban any Chinese drone manufacturers, though they signal growing concern over foreign influence in critical technologies.
