SB2364
UNMANNED AERIAL DRONE SECURITY
TL;DR
Illinois SB2364, introduced by Sen. Jason Plummer, would ban state and local government agencies from buying or using drones made by manufacturers based in China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, or Syria. It sets three security tiers for government drone use, requires drone flight mapping software providers to geofence 'sensitive locations' like military sites and power stations, and makes flying over those locations a Class A misdemeanor.
How This Might Impact Your Business
Drone manufacturers selling to Illinois state or local agencies must prove they are not domiciled in or controlled by China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, or Syria, effectively locking DJI and similar vendors out of public-sector contracts starting January 1, 2026.
Flight mapping and ground control software providers (companies like DJI Fly, Skydio, AutoPilot, DroneDeploy) would be legally required to geofence Illinois military bases, power stations, and other sensitive sites, with Class A misdemeanor penalties for allowing unauthorized flights.
Tier 3 drone operators (those capturing video/audio for government use) must store data inside the United States, blocking cloud vendors that use overseas data centers without written agency approval.
Government contractors and vendors serving Illinois agencies (public safety, utilities, transportation, agriculture inspections, universities) must audit their drone fleets and swap out non-compliant hardware; a state reimbursement fund would cover replacement costs if requests are filed by April 1, 2026.
Commercial drone operators flying near Illinois critical infrastructure face Class A misdemeanor charges if they fly over designated sensitive locations without permission, creating new operational risk for utility inspectors, real estate photographers, media, and construction firms.
Home rule cities like Chicago cannot pass conflicting local drone rules, giving businesses a single statewide standard to comply with.
Research exemption exists but requires 30-day advance written notice to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency before using otherwise-prohibited drones.
What Should You Do
Inventory your drone fleet now and identify any hardware or critical components (flight controllers, cameras, radios, software) sourced from Chinese or other listed-country manufacturers, especially if you sell services to Illinois government agencies.
If you provide flight mapping or ground control software, task your engineering team with building an Illinois sensitive-location geofencing capability and monitor the Department of Transportation for the coordinate list expected before January 1, 2026.
Government contractors should prepare reimbursement request documentation (purchase orders, usage justifications) to submit to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency by the April 1, 2026 deadline.
Brief pilots, field inspectors, and marketing teams on the new Class A misdemeanor risk for flying over power stations, military sites, and critical infrastructure in Illinois.
Track SB2364 through the Illinois Senate Assignments Committee and coordinate with your government affairs or legal team on written comments before it advances.
Who It Affects
Sponsors
Status Timeline
introduced
Referred to Assignments
February 7, 2025