Defense and national security

Executive Order 13981: Protecting the United States From Certain Unmanned Aircraft Systems

President: Donald J. Trump

Directed agencies to review procurement and use of drones linked to foreign adversaries and asked FAA to propose restrictions near sensitive sites.

Status: In effect. Sources: Executive Order 13981 signed text · FCC Unleashing American Drone Dominance notice, April 16, 2026 · Federal Register executive order disposition table.

Is Executive Order 13981 still in effect? Yes. The January 18, 2021 order remains unrevoked in the Federal Register disposition table. An FCC notice published April 16, 2026 describes later drone-security measures as building on Executive Order 13981; those later measures do not expressly revoke it.

What does Executive Order 13981 do?

EO 13981 directed agencies to assess and restrict certain foreign-made unmanned aircraft systems.

Later primary evidence reviewed September 24, 2026: Defense issued updated drone procurement and operating guidance in 2021 and said it maintained compliance with this order and a separate 2020 defense statute; the guidance did not impose a universal civilian drone ban. Official source. The cited steps do not establish every downstream effect.

Administration position: Any policy rationale or projected benefit in the order is the administration’s position. This index record does not treat those claims as independently established facts.
SignedJanuary 18, 2021
IssuerPresident Donald J. Trump
TermFirst presidential term

Before and after

Before the order

Federal drone procurement and operations followed existing agency and security policies.

After the order

Defense issued updated drone procurement and operating guidance in 2021 and said it maintained compliance with this order and a separate 2020 defense statute; the guidance did not impose a universal civilian drone ban.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
PresidentSigned and issued the orderJanuary 18, 2021
Named agencies and officialsCarry out directions specified in the orderAccording to the primary text

What happened next

Executive Order 13981 signed.

Later primary evidence reviewed: Defense issued updated drone procurement and operating guidance in 2021 and said it maintained compliance with this order and a separate 2020 defense statute; the guidance did not impose a universal civilian drone ban.