Federal regulations (FAR 52.240‑1) now prohibit the use of federal funds – including contracts, grants or cooperative agreements – to purchase, operate or use unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), commonly known as drones, that are made by a covered foreign entity.
The Federal Acquisition Security Council maintains a list of these entities that are restricted due to national security concerns in the System for Award Management (SAM). This list includes two companies: SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (DJI) and Autel Robotics Co., Ltd. (Autel).
Researchers using or planning to use a drone made by one of these companies in a federally-funded project need to select an alternative manufacturer to remain compliant.
The Secure Research Team has compiled a non‑exhaustive list of allowed alternative drone manufacturers, which may be suitable for research purposes:
- Parrot
- Freefly
- Inspired Flight
- Acecore
- Quantum Systems
- Flyby
- Anzu Robotics
- Vantage Robotics
Researchers may also consult the Department of Defense (DoD)‑approved UAS list, although many of these drones are designed primarily for military or defense-related applications and may not be ideal for academic research.
In coordination with Purchasing, the Secure Research Team is working to incorporate these restrictions into the university’s procurement system. Drone purchasing requests are being reviewed, and researchers are being advised when a proposed purchase may conflict with federal requirements.
Contact Export Control with questions about compliance or to find out if a project may be affected.