Main Adjustments Coming to the Pentagon’s Blue sUAS Drone Program
The Pentagon is making sweeping adjustments to its Blue sUAS program that would rework how the navy buys and makes use of small drones. These reforms, outlined in a brand new Protection Secretary memo from July 2025, goal 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 can be protected to make use of and don’t come from China or different doubtlessly dangerous international locations. Consider it as a “good housekeeping seal” for navy drones – if a drone is on the Blue checklist, commanders realize it meets safety requirements.
Nevertheless, whereas the DIU Blue Record 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 vital 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 vital adjustments over the previous few 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 Record.
This capability downside has harm some NDAA-compliant, US-based drone firms like Terraview and Skyfish, which have been instructed DIU “lacked the funding and sources to judge their platforms” once they utilized for inclusion. The scenario worsened when authorities businesses just like the Normal Companies Administration (GSA) and state governments started utilizing the Blue sUAS checklist as their normal 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,” stated Bruce Myers, Terraview CEO, in a 2022 assertion. “It’s really stifling competitors”.
Blue sUAS Program Refoms
The adjustments have been coming over the previous few months, with DIU asserting preliminary reforms earlier this yr. The transition to DCMA and different adjustments 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 thing. Beginning January 1, 2026, the Protection Contract Administration Company (DCMA) will take over as the principle supervisor, with DIU offering help. DCMA has “extra funding and extra folks than DIU, so it’s higher positioned to tackle the accountability of the Blue Record,” stated AUVSI CEO Michael Robbins.
Two-Tier System
As a substitute of 1 Blue checklist, there’ll now be two:
-
Blue UAS Cleared Record: A broader catalog of accepted drones that meet fundamental safety necessities
-
Blue UAS Choose Record: The “better of the perfect” drones that fill particular navy wants
Third-Social gathering 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 below 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 “tons of 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 opinions from troops within the area. This real-time suggestions will assist different items 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 grievance that “DIU has proven that they’re a little bit 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 navy prospects 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 vital milestones are developing:
-
August 2025: Pentagon presents financing choices for drone firms
-
September 2025: Army companies should set up experimental drone items
-
November 2025: Three nationwide drone coaching ranges will likely 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 growth to third-party assessors ought to get rid of the useful resource constraints that prevented certified firms from getting evaluated. The broader “Cleared Record” supplies a pathway for NDAA-compliant firms that don’t want the best degree of navy certification however nonetheless need to promote to authorities businesses.
Challenges Forward
- Useful resource Questions
Shifting accountability to DCMA implies 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 will likely be essential. The Pentagon plans to handle this by means of standardized checklists and common audits. - Cyber Safety
As extra drones and firms be part of this system, defending delicate info turns into extra advanced. The brand new digital platform will want sturdy cybersecurity measures.
The Backside Line
These Blue sUAS program reforms symbolize the largest overhaul of navy drone buying for the reason that program started. If profitable, they might dramatically improve the variety of accepted drones obtainable to troops whereas strengthening America’s home drone trade. The objective is to realize “small UAS area dominance” by the tip of 2027 – which means American forces can have the perfect small drones on this planet, obtainable shortly when wanted.
For the drone trade, this represents a significant alternative to achieve navy prospects 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 expertise that may save lives and full missions extra successfully. The success of those reforms will rely on easy execution and sufficient funding. But when every thing goes in line with plan, the adjustments may place America as the worldwide chief in navy drone expertise whereas guaranteeing 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, an expert drone companies market, and a fascinated observer of the rising drone trade and the regulatory surroundings for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles centered 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 new applied sciences.
For drone trade consulting or writing, Electronic mail Miriam.
TWITTER:@spaldingbarker
Subscribe to DroneLife right here.
