Federal Acquisition Regulation

The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) is the primary set of rules governing how US federal government agencies acquire goods and services. It is jointly maintained by the Department of Defense, General Services Administration, and NASA, and applies to virtually all federal procurement activity. In the drone sector, FAR clause 52.240-1 took effect on 13 March 2026, prohibiting the use of drones covered by the American Security Drone Act (ASDA) in federal contracts and requiring contractors to certify compliance. The clause effectively bars Chinese-manufactured drones, including DJI and Autel Robotics products, from all federal contracts.

The FAR operates through a codified system of clauses and supplements that agencies incorporate by reference into contracts. Changes to the FAR are published in the Federal Register and can be proposed by any agency, but are subject to a rule-making process that includes public comment periods. Clause 52.240-1 is a significant addition because it extends supply-chain security requirements from hardware procurement to all contractors who use or operate drones as part of their federal work, not just direct drone purchases. This broadened scope captures a large population of contractors in areas from surveying to logistics.

The FAR's drone-related clause sits alongside other regulatory instruments, including the Section 232 tariff investigation and the FCC's Covered List, that together form a multi-layered regulatory barrier against Chinese drone technology in US federal operations. The FAR clause is the most operationally immediate of these layers because it creates direct contractual liability for compliance and requires contractor certification, making it enforceable through standard contract administration rather than requiring new enforcement action.