Law enforcement speaks against Missouri bill targeting Chinese drones

by Mary McCue Bell, Missouri Independent
March 3, 2025

A bill targeting foreign-manufactured drones drew opposition Monday from Missouri law enforcement officials and public utility representatives.

State Sen. Rick Brattin, a Republican from Harrisonville, said the crux of his legislation is to ban future purchases of Chinese drones by law enforcement. Concerns he cited in the Senate Committee on Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety include a Chinese balloon spotted above the U.S. in 2023 and TikTok.

“This is basically the modern-day Trojan horse to be able to utilize this technology, this sort of software, in use with and by our own forces to utilize against our country,” Brattin said.

John Yeast, an executive member of the Law Enforcement Drone Association, argued the bill is not about data security but lobbying efforts by domestic drone manufacturers aiming to ban non-U.S. drones for financial gain.

A stipulation of the bill would allow the Missouri Department of Public Safety to implement a small, unmanned aircraft system replacement grant program to provide funds to public entities impacted by the bill. Eric Schmitt, chief of police in Branson, argued against the grant provision.

“Quite honestly, when I read this bill, even the grant funding replacing basically, the value of the drones and with what this would buy, would not suffice and would force communities to choose either to violate the law in order to save lives or not participate,” Schmitt said.

John Barton, fire chief of High Ridge Fire District in Jefferson County, said his department doesn’t fly over nuclear power plants or military bases. Instead, it flies over areas of the county that are “just as visible from Google Maps.”

Another point Barton made included specifying the difference between hardware and software. Apple publicly stated that 90% to 95% of its hardware is manufactured in China, Barton said, but the software that runs on top of that hardware is made by an American company.

“The same can be said for these drones. The hardware is manufactured in China. That’s true,” Barton said. “However, we do not use the software released by the Chinese drone manufacturer to fly our drones. We use a software called DroneSense, which is founded and operated by a company out of Texas.”

Many gave examples of drone uses for public safety and advancing law enforcement abilities.

James Harris, a lobbyist for the State Armor Action, testified in favor of the bill, citing government agencies, such as the FBI, that warned of the dangers that Chinese drones pose.

“People want to say that American drones suck, and Chinese drones are significant,” Harris said. “In this country, whenever we put our manufacturing will to something — other than French and Italian wine — I would say we make the best.”

This story originally appeared in the Columbia Missourian. It can be republished in print or online. 

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