The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security has released an advance notice of proposed rulemaking to solicit public input on the regulations it is drafting to secure the supply chain of information and communications technology and services, or ICTS, for unmanned aircraft systems. The notice, set for publication on the Federal Register Friday, outlines several areas for comment, such as assessments of ICTS transaction risks arising from foreign adversaries like China and Russia, the bureau said Thursday.
The BIS notice also seeks public feedback on potential approval processes for requests to engage in regulated commercial transactions, possible economic impact of prohibiting certain ICTS deals and mitigation steps on potential adverse effects of the supply chain rules. The deadline for comment submission is on March 4.
‘Essential Step’ for National Security
Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo called the BIS rulemaking on the drone ICTS supply chain as “an essential step” to protect U.S. vulnerabilities from foreign entities.
“Securing the unmanned aircraft systems technology supply chain is critical to safeguarding our national security,” she stressed.
In a related development, the Commerce Department in early December formalized the Office of Information and Communications Technology and Services, or OICTS, tasked with conducting investigations of foreign adversary threats to ICTS transactions that may impact U.S. national security.
The Defense Innovation Unit and the Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International also announced in June the publication of their joint a memo providing procurement guidance and recommendations for public safety and government agencies and industry entities that perform sensitive missions using drones.
