What’s in this Bill
Ohio’s legislature has introduced Senate Bill 180 (SB 180) and its companion House Bill 317. The bills are moving through committee and would:
Prohibit public entities from acquiring drones manufactured or assembled by a foreign adversary.
Ban the use of state funds for drones made by foreign adversaries, whether through contracts, grants or cooperative agreements.
Bar public entities from operating DJI/Autel‑type drones after 1 May 2027., effectively grounding existing fleets.
Senate Bill 180 was introduced on 23 April 2025. House Bill 317 was introduced on 3 June 2025 and had its first committee hearing on 30 September 2025. Neither bill has advanced beyond committee as of 1 October 2025.
Breaking News:
New Ohio Bill Could Ground Foreign‑Made Drones For Public Safety Agencies
Why it Matters – Implications for First Responders
Immediate procurement restrictions. If enacted, Ohio agencies would immediately be barred from buying or accepting drones made or assembled by companies domiciled in China, Russia or entities on the U.S. Commerce Department’s screening list. This means law‑enforcement and fire departments could not replace damaged aircraft with DJI or Autel models.
State funds off‑limits. The bills prohibit using any state money—including grants, contracts or cooperative agreements—to purchase or maintain Chinese‑ or Russian‑made drone. Departments would need to use local funds to keep existing fleets running until the May 2027 deadline.
Mandatory retirement of foreign drones. Operation of drones built by a foreign adversary would be illegal after 1 May 2027. Agencies must plan to retire or replace their DJI/Autel fleets within just over 18 months from the current date.
Supply‑chain uncertainty and cost. Nearly 90 % of public‑safety drones in the U.S. are DJI or Autel. Replacing them with NDAA‑compliant alternatives may cost 2–5× more per aircraft, require new training and limit capability. The Florida experience, where a 2022 law grounded state‑agency drone programs by 1 Jan 2023, left agencies with unusable fleets and forced them to seek grants.
Potential constitutional challenges. The House analysis notes that prohibiting certain purchases might conflict with Ohio’s home‑rule provisions and could be seen as regulating foreign commerce. Litigation could delay implementation but would not prevent the immediate purchasing ban.
Administrative burden. The Secretary of State must compile and update the foreign‑adversary registry every six months, consulting federal terror, sanction and export‑control lists. Departments will need to monitor this registry before purchasing any drone parts or accessories.
How Ohio Agencies Can Engage
Contact your legislators. SB 180 is sponsored by Sen. Terry Johnson with cosponsors Sens. Brenner and Cirino; HB 317 is sponsored by Rep. Ty Mathews. Reach out to your state senator and representative to share operational data, success stories and fiscal impacts of your current fleet. Emphasize how DJI/Autel drones have saved lives and reduced costs. Encourage extended timelines, waivers or funding for replacements.
Submit testimony. HB 317 is currently in the House Technology & Innovation Committee. When additional hearings are scheduled, departments can provide written or oral testimony. Monitor the committee’s calendar for upcoming dates and sign up in advance to speak. Provide specific examples of missions that would be impacted without DJI‑class capabilities.
Coordinate through professional associations. Engage the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police, Ohio Fire Chiefs’ Association and County Commissioners Association of Ohio—which has not yet taken a position on SB 180 — to develop unified recommendations. Collective advocacy has proven effective; in Texas, more than a dozen public‑safety officials testified against HB 41.
Leverage national advocacy groups. Organizations such as the Drone Advocacy Alliance provide tools for contacting lawmakers and template letters. Their campaigns emphasize user choice and the importance of proven platforms; some resources may be temporarily inaccessible, but sign‑up lists continue to operate.
Mitigating Risk When Using Chinese‑Made Drones
If your agency’s fleet is primarily DJI or Autel, there are steps you can take to address security concerns and prepare for potential legislative changes:
Operate in “local data mode.” Keep flight controllers disconnected from the Internet. Use air‑gapped tablets or smart controllers that never connect to Wi‑Fi or cellular networks. This prevents telemetry or images from being transmitted to external servers.
Use U.S.‑hosted software. Replace the manufacturer’s flight‑control app with third‑party platforms like DroneSense or SkyeBrowse (used by many agencies and being integrated into Drone‑as‑First‑Responder programs. These apps store data on secure U.S. servers and have achieved SOC 2 and FedRAMP certification.
Implement strict data‑handling procedures. Remove SD cards immediately after missions; store footage on secure departmental servers; restrict who can access flight logs. Encrypt sensitive video and imagery.
Limit high‑sensitivity missions. For operations involving critical infrastructure or confidential investigations, consider renting or borrowing an NDAA‑compliant platform or partnering with neighboring agencies that own one. Use your DJI/Autel fleet for training, search‑and‑rescue and lower‑risk missions.
Plan your transition. Inventory your fleet, estimate replacement costs and begin budgeting for NDAA‑compliant aircraft. Track grant opportunities at the state and federal level. Arkansas’ law includes waiver provisions and Florida offers reimbursement grants; similar programs may emerge in Ohio.
Non‑Chinese Alternatives: Future‑Proofing Your Fleet
Stay informed on important drone regulatory changes, drone equipment updates for first responders, drone training opportunities and grant proposals by signing up for our Drone Newsletter for First Responders, and check out V1DroneMedia Basic and Advanced Drone Training course for First Responders. Contact Us if you are looking for a consultation, or a drone training course specific to your department. Read First Responder Training FAQs for frequently asked questions about our training.