Trump Orders Pentagon to Take Steps to Expand US Production of Small Drones

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The US Defence Department has been tasked with expanding production of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) or drones, President Donald Trump wrote in letters to the chairs of the House Committee on Financial Services and the Senate Committee on Banking.

"The Department of Defense will take actions to develop and purchase equipment and materials needed for creating, maintaining, protecting, and expanding production capability for small unmanned aerial systems," Trump wrote in the letters on Monday.

Trump also issued a presidential determination that domestic production of UAS was essential for the US national defence.

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Without Presidential action, Trump added, the US drone industry cannot reasonably be expected to provide the production capability adequately and in a timely manner.