Streamlining Export Controls for Drone Exports

What it does

The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is easing export controls on certain Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs or drones) and related parts, components, accessories, attachments, technology, and software under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Specifically, this rule: eliminates wind gust tolerance as a parameter for determining UAV controls under the EAR; increases the threshold for national security controls on certain UAVs from an endurance of 30 minutes to an endurance of 3 hours; makes conforming changes to remove national security controls on software and technology associated with UAVs with an endurance less than 3 hours; maintains military end-use and end-user controls on those lower endurance drones and associated software and technology; clarifies Commerce Control List (CCL) controls for certain UAVs specially designed for military use; and removes national security controls on certain specially designed parts, components, accessories, and attachments for such UAVs as they do not provide any significant military or intelligence capabilities.

The Industry and Security Bureau's summary, as published in the Federal Register.

What changed in the regulation

3 parts of Title 15 of the Code of Federal Regulations:

15 CFR 740, 15 CFR 744, 15 CFR 774

Wording on eCFR: the day before it took effect and from the day it took effect (first part listed).

Compared with

The Industry and Security Bureau has published 12 final rules in 2026 so far, compared with 22 in all of 2025.

Counted by the Tribune from Federal Register records since Jan. 1, 2025.

Before this

1 earlier Federal Register document under regulation identifier 0694-AK30 since Jan. 1, 2025.

• Jan. 21, 2026 Interim final rule. Streamlining Export Controls for Drone Exports

Since then:

• Aug. 28, 2026 Final rule Streamlining Export Controls for Drone Exports

What happens next and when

This rule is effective on August 13, 2026.

The agency's dates, word for word.

Check it yourself

• The document in the Federal Register
• Title 15 on eCFR

The record as published

Source: the Federal Register (public domain). The document in the Federal Register