National Drone Strategy Tom Walker Op-Ed

America’s Airspace Crisis—Why We Need a National Drone Strategy NOW

By Tom Walker, founder and CEO of DroneUp

The U.S. Is Flying Blind Into the Drone Era

Let’s cut to the chase: The United States is not ready for the drone era. And this isn’t some abstract policy debate—it’s a full-blown operational crisis that threatens national security, public safety, and our standing as a global leader.

Drones are already revolutionizing warfare, disaster response, logistics, and infrastructure monitoring. Every major world power is integrating them at scale—except us.

And here’s the real kicker: we still don’t have a national system to control and coordinate drone operations.

We have Air Traffic Control (ATC) for traditional aviation, so why are we pretending we don’t need the same—or better—for drones?

The Consequences Are Happening Right Now

This isn’t a “future problem.” It’s happening right now:

• Disaster response is delayed because drones can’t communicate across agencies.
• Law enforcement and military UAVs are flying blind in contested airspace.
• Foreign drone manufacturers are eating our lunch while U.S. companies and investors hesitate over regulatory uncertainty. Every day we wait, we lose ground.

The Fix: A National Unmanned Systems Integration Framework (USIF)

The U.S. needs an Unmanned Systems Integration Framework (USIF) to:

•  Improve coordination between federal, state, and local agencies, ensuring seamless communication and collaboration across military, law enforcement, emergency responders and commercial operators.
• Secure our airspace and prevent unauthorized drone operations.
• Accelerate emergency response times and ensure UAVs actually help—not hinder—disaster efforts.
• Prevent drone and aircraft collisions and keep operations seamless and safe.
• Unlock billions in commercial growth and make America the global leader in unmanned aviation.

This isn’t some half-baked “monitoring” system. A USIF would actively control and manage drone traffic.

If we don’t act now, we permanently fall behind.

What Happens If We Keep Dragging Our Feet?

Every delay puts us further in the hole: Disaster response remains a mess—costing lives. Military and homeland security operations stay compromised—creating national security risks. Investors and aerospace companies look elsewhere because uncertainty kills business.

How long before we lose control completely?

If we keep waiting for Congress to “get around to it,” we’ll be stuck relying on foreign-made drone technology, just like we screwed up with 5G.

National Security: We Are Wide Open for Attack

While we’re over here debating, our adversaries are already moving.

They’re building autonomous drone swarms, cyber-hardened UAVs, and AI-driven airspace attacks. Meanwhile, we don’t even have a structure in place that we can improve its security—let alone scale it to meet national needs.

As National Security Advisor Michael Waltz put it: “Gaps between the Department of Homeland Security, local law enforcement, and the Defense Department leave us vulnerable.”

Without a unified national strategy, three massive security threats emerge:

• Cybersecurity failures – Our drone networks are sitting ducks for hacking and foreign interference.
• Situational awareness gaps – The military, intelligence, and law enforcement aren’t even working from the same UAV picture.
• Foreign-controlled infrastructure – If we don’t set the standards, China and other hostile nations will.

We either control our own airspace—or someone else will.

Progress Is Happening—But It’s Not Nearly Enough

The FAA is trying to test drone integration, but without federal backing, it’s a drop in the bucket. Right now, we’ve got:

• A messy patchwork of state and local drone regulations.
• No federal-level system to coordinate operations.
• Bureaucratic red tape slowing down innovation.

As U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy put it: “We have to make sure that we have rules in place to make America the best home for this innovation.”

Translation: Right now, we don’t.

The Public Trust Factor: We Need to Get This Right

Drones aren’t just about security and commerce—they’re about public trust. We need rules that protect privacy while still allowing the technology to thrive.

A USIF must include:

• Clear rules on data collection – No creepy surveillance loopholes.
• Transparency in public-sector drone use – Government UAVs should be accountable.
• Defined airspace rights – Protect privacy without stifling innovation.

At the same time, we can’t let overregulation kill progress. A well-structured USIF must let government and industry work together—not drown businesses in red tape.

The Good News: This Is Fixable

If we make the right moves, the U.S. can still dominate this space. Automated air traffic control for drones? Possible. Faster, better emergency response? Absolutely. A thriving private sector driving innovation and job creation? 100%.

A properly funded, well-structured USIF would:

• Strengthen national security
• Protect U.S. economic interests
• Ensure America leads the future of unmanned aerial tech

The Time for Action Is NOW

This isn’t a technology issue. It’s a leadership issue. Here’s what needs to happen:

1. A National Drone Strategy Summit must be convened within 90 days to launch a USIF.
2. Legislation must follow immediately to fund and govern unmanned airspace

   infrastructure.

The technology is ready. The solution is clear.

The U.S. cannot afford another year of inaction. The technology exists, and the path forward is clear. The real question is: Who will step up to lead?