blue-suas-program-reforms-american-drone-makers – DRONELIFE

Main Adjustments Coming to the Pentagon’s Blue sUAS Drone Program

The Pentagon is making sweeping modifications to its Blue sUAS program that might remodel how the army buys and makes use of small drones. These reforms, outlined in a brand new Protection Secretary memo from July 2025, intention to hurry up drone purchases and help American firms whereas preserving our forces safe.

What’s Blue sUAS?

The Blue sUAS program began in 2020 because the Pentagon’s accepted checklist of small drones which are protected to make use of and don’t come from China or different probably dangerous nations. Consider it as a “good housekeeping seal” for army drones – if a drone is on the Blue checklist, commanders comprehend it meets safety requirements.

Nonetheless, whereas the DIU Blue Checklist had grow to be a “good housekeeping seal,” its scope has been restricted and the division’s capability to vet merchandise has been constrained. This has created important issues for American drone producers that meet all authorized necessities however can’t get on the checklist as a result of their merchandise don’t align with the newest warfighter priorities.

The Drawback with the Present System

The Blue sUAS program has been present process important modifications over the previous couple of months, with reforms constructing momentum since early 2025. Many US-based drone producers that totally adjust to the Nationwide Protection Authorization Act (NDAA) have lengthy complained that the Blue sUAS checklist unfairly disadvantages them. The Protection Innovation Unit (DIU) has restricted staffing and devoted funding for the Blue Checklist.

This capability downside has damage some NDAA-compliant, US-based drone firms like Terraview and Skyfish, which have been advised DIU “lacked the funding and sources to judge their platforms” after they utilized for inclusion. The state of affairs worsened when authorities companies just like the Basic Companies Administration (GSA) and state governments started utilizing the Blue sUAS checklist as their customary for drone purchases. This created a bottleneck the place certified American producers have been shut out of presidency contracts just because DIU didn’t have sources to judge their merchandise.

“The Blue sUAS checklist was by no means designed to be a gate-keeper for federal authorities procurement,” mentioned Bruce Myers, Terraview CEO, in a 2022 assertion. “It’s really stifling competitors”.

Blue sUAS Program Refoms

The modifications have been coming over the previous couple of months, with DIU saying preliminary reforms earlier this 12 months. The transition to DCMA and different modifications outlined within the Hegseth memo symbolize the newest developments on this ongoing transformation.

New Administration Construction
The largest change is who runs this system. Proper now, the Protection Innovation Unit (DIU) manages every part. Beginning January 1, 2026, the Protection Contract Administration Company (DCMA) will take over as the primary supervisor, with DIU offering help. DCMA has “extra funding and extra individuals than DIU, so it’s higher positioned to tackle the duty of the Blue Checklist,” mentioned AUVSI CEO Michael Robbins.

Two-Tier System
As an alternative of 1 Blue checklist, there’ll now be two:

• Blue UAS Cleared Checklist: A broader catalog of accepted drones that meet primary safety necessities

• Blue UAS Choose Checklist: The “better of the most effective” drones that fill particular army wants

Third-Celebration Testing
DIU beforehand examined all drones themselves, which creates bottlenecks. On June 2, 2025 the DIU put out a name for accepted third-party firms referred to as “Acknowledged Assessors” to check drones for safety compliance. Drone makers pays for their very own testing, which ought to velocity up the approval course of considerably.

How This Helps Warfighters

Quicker Approvals
The brand new guidelines set strict deadlines for selections. Certification requests should get solutions inside 14 days, in comparison with months underneath the previous system. Weapons approvals for small drones will take 30 days as a substitute of 90-120 days.

Extra Choices
With third-party testing and streamlined processes, the Pentagon expects “a whole lot of firms” to hunt approval within the first wave. This implies troopers and Marines can have many extra drone choices to select from.

Higher Suggestions System
The brand new digital platform will embody consumer rankings and evaluations from troops within the subject. This real-time suggestions will assist different models know which drones work finest for various missions.

What This Means for Drone Firms

Decrease Limitations to Entry
Small drone firms now not want to attend in a single line at DIU. They will work with a number of accepted testing firms to get their merchandise licensed quicker. This addresses the long-standing criticism that “DIU has proven that they’re a bit of bit hamstrung due to their [internal] funding ranges, their personnel ranges”.

Market Growth
The 2-tier system opens up extra alternatives. Firms that may not make it onto the elite “Choose” checklist can nonetheless attain army clients by means of the broader “Cleared” checklist. This could assist tackle the considerations of NDAA-compliant producers who’ve been excluded from authorities contracts.

Monetary Help
The Pentagon is exploring advance buy agreements and direct loans to assist American drone firms scale up manufacturing.

Key Deadlines to Watch

A number of necessary milestones are arising:

• August 2025: Pentagon presents financing choices for drone firms

• September 2025: Army providers should set up experimental drone models

• November 2025: Three nationwide drone coaching ranges might be designated

• January 2026: DCMA takes over Blue checklist administration and launches new digital platform

Addressing Previous Considerations

The brand new system instantly addresses most of the complaints raised by American producers. The enlargement to third-party assessors ought to get rid of the useful resource constraints that prevented certified firms from getting evaluated. The broader “Cleared Checklist” supplies a pathway for NDAA-compliant firms that don’t want the best degree of army certification however nonetheless wish to promote to authorities companies.

Challenges Forward

• Useful resource Questions
  Transferring duty to DCMA signifies that company wants correct funding and employees to deal with the expanded workload. The Protection Secretary’s memo guarantees “correct resourcing,” however the particulars will matter.
• High quality Management
  With a number of firms doing testing as a substitute of simply DIU, sustaining constant requirements might be essential. The Pentagon plans to handle this by means of standardized checklists and common audits.
• Cyber Safety
  As extra drones and corporations be part of this system, defending delicate data turns into extra advanced. The brand new digital platform will want sturdy cybersecurity measures.

The Backside Line

These Blue sUAS program reforms symbolize the most important overhaul of army drone buying for the reason that program started. If profitable, they might dramatically improve the variety of accepted drones accessible to troops whereas strengthening America’s home drone trade. The aim is to attain “small UAS area dominance” by the tip of 2027 – which means American forces can have the most effective small drones on the earth, accessible shortly when wanted.

For the drone trade, this represents a significant alternative to succeed in army clients extra simply and shortly than ever earlier than. Importantly, it addresses long-standing considerations from NDAA-compliant American producers who’ve been deprived by the restricted capability of the present system.

For warfighters, it means entry to cutting-edge know-how that may save lives and full missions extra successfully. The success of those reforms will rely on easy execution and satisfactory funding. But when every part goes in line with plan, the modifications might place America as the worldwide chief in army drone know-how whereas making certain our forces have the instruments they should keep forward of potential adversaries.

Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, knowledgeable drone providers market, and a fascinated observer of the rising drone trade and the regulatory setting for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles targeted on the industrial drone house and is a global speaker and acknowledged determine within the trade.  Miriam has a level from the College of Chicago and over 20 years of expertise in excessive tech gross sales and advertising and marketing for brand spanking new applied sciences.
For drone trade consulting or writing, Electronic mail Miriam.

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