On August 13, 2018, H.R. 5515 – John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 was signed into law.
Specifically, section Section 848 of the Fiscal Year 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), defined a “covered foreign country” to mean China. In 2022, Congress updated the law to include Russia, Iran and North Korea. Recently, Congress extended the law even further to apply to the private sector. Beginning in October 2024, private companies can not use DJI to perform contracts for the Department of Defense.
NDAA compliance is primarily focused on the supply chain--where the drone and its key components are made, and where the manufacturer is based. Importantly, it is not a rule that the drone must be 100% free of all parts from a covered foreign country, only those specifically listed in #2 above.
How does a drone become NDAA compliant? There is no single formal certifying body for NDAA compliant UAS. Companies can self-certify.
NDAA Compliant drones may also be on the Blue List by the DIU. Some drone have Blue Framework components that will be required to be on the Blue Framework list.
