House Lawmakers Introduce Legislation to Criminalize Drone Filming of US Military Sites

‘We must send a clear message that we will not tolerate unlawful surveillance on American soil,’ Rep. Jen Kiggans said.

A China-made DJI Mavic 2 Pro drone hovers in Miami on Dec. 15, 2021. Federal agents allege Yinpiao Zhou of China used a similar drone to fly over national security airspace above Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Nov. 30, 2024. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Bipartisan legislation has been introduced in the House to safeguard U.S. defense sites from video surveillance by drones operated by foreign agents, particularly those working for the Chinese communist regime.

Reps. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.) and Don Davis (D-N.C.), both members of the House Armed Services Committee, introduced the Drone Espionage Act (H.R. 2939) to ensure that individuals using drones to take video of U.S. defense infrastructure can be punished under the Espionage Act of 1917, according to a statement Kiggans issued on April 18.