The Department of Energy Drone Defense Act would allow the Secretary of Energy to bypass certain restrictions on purchasing, operating, and using drones made by foreign companies that are considered security risks. Currently, federal law prohibits most agencies from buying or using these drones, but this bill creates an exemption specifically for the Department of Energy. The legislation modifies existing rules from the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act to give Energy Department officials the same flexibility that the Secretaries of State and Defense already have when dealing with restricted drone technology. The bill does not specify funding amounts or implementation timelines. This change would allow the Energy Department to potentially use foreign drones for its operations while other federal agencies remain bound by the existing restrictions.
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