Arkansas has followed Florida in a ban on Chinese drones: but Arkansas lawmakers have taken a realistic approach to phasing out technology manufactured by a “covered entity.”

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This bill has no impact on commercial or civil operations in the state, and is applicable only to public agencies.

Arkansas House Bill 1653, now Act 525, prohibits the purchase or operation of drones manufactured in China or other “covered entity” countries.  The Act is similar to a recently passed Florida bill, but differs in significant ways that make the Act more manageable for public safety agencies.

How the Arkansas Act Differs from the Florida Ban

The recently enacted ban in Florida has caused problems for public safety entities and other state agencies by limiting drone options to a very narrow list of only 5 drone manufacturers. In addition, the ban provided no provision for grandfathering existing equipment, forcing public safety agencies to retrain personnel and replace entire fleets in a short time frame.  Florida lawmakers continue to debate the issues that public safety agencies face as a result of the ban.

Which Drones are Banned, and What is a “Covered Entity”?

From Act 525:

In contrast to the Florida ban, Arkansas’ Act 525 will prohibit the purchase or operation of a drone manufactured or assembled in China, Russia, or a “covered entity” – defined as Chinese, Russian, or listed on the federal government’s “covered entity” list.  This approach defines what can’t be used – most notably, DJI drones – but does not strictly limit the options which can be used to replace them.  In addition, Act 525 gives agencies 4 years, until May 1 2027, to comply with the rule.  Those four years are significant: while not the full life cycle of most drone hardware, it will give agencies time to slowly replace and retrain, without forcing them to simply stop operating.

Finally, Act 525 provides a waiver provision: allowing public agencies to apply for an exception to the rule: