Data / Federal rules / 2026-01059
Streamlining Export Controls for Drone Exports
The Industry and Security Bureau published this final rule in the Federal Register on January 21, 2026. It took effect on January 20, 2026. Comments closed on February 19, 2026.
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What the agency says
The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) is easing export controls on certain civil Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and related technologies, which currently need a license to be exported to most countries. In particular, this interim final rule (IFR): a) allows less sensitive UAVs--namely, commercial UAVs with a maximum endurance of less than one hour, for which there is broad foreign availability--to be exported to most Wassenaar Arrangement Participating States (Country Group A:1) without a license; and b) allows more capable non-military UAVs--namely, certain long-range cargo delivery and agricultural spraying drones--to be exported to certain U.S. partners and allies (Country Group A:5) under License Exception Strategic Trade Authorization (STA). Exports pursuant to License Exception STA are subject to notification and reporting requirements to ensure the security of the exports. BIS is making these changes pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14307, "Unleashing American Drone Dominance."
Key facts
- Document number
- 2026-01059
- Type
- Final rule
- Action
- Interim final rule
- Agency
- Commerce Department; Industry and Security Bureau
- Published
- January 21, 2026
- Takes effect
- January 20, 2026
- Comments due
- February 19, 2026
- Dates
- Effective date: This rule is effective on January 20, 2026.
- Docket
- Docket No. 251222-0187
- Regulation ID (RIN)
- 0694-AK30
- Code of Federal Regulations
- 15 CFR 740; 15 CFR 774
- Topics
- Administrative practice and procedure; Exports; Reporting and recordkeeping requirements
- Pages
- 4
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|---|---|---|
| Measures To Restrict Stockpiling of Polysilicon and Polysilicon Derivatives Under Proclamation 11052 2026-19537 | Final rule | Sep 24 |
| Streamlining Export Controls for Drone Exports C1-2026-16628 | Final rule | Aug 28 |
| Revisions to the Entity List 2026-17231 | Final rule | Aug 24 |
| Removal From the Entity List 2026-17230 | Final rule | Aug 24 |
| Streamlining Export Controls for Drone Exports 2026-16628 | Final rule | Aug 14 |
| DPAS Directive Allocation Order and Additional Requirements for Recoverable Critical Minerals and Materials 2026-16078 | Final rule | Aug 6 |
| Implementation of EAR Export Controls on Silencers, Mufflers, and Sound Suppressors; and Other Firearms Related Changes 2026-14942 | Final rule | Jul 23 |
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Everything from the Industry and Security Bureau · Rules on administrative practice and procedure · Rules on exports · Rules on reporting and recordkeeping requirements · Published in January 2026
Read from the Federal Register API, last updated 2026-10-23. The document on federalregister.gov is the official record; dates and dockets can change through later corrections. Free to reuse with credit to SpecStream under CC BY 4.0.