Washington state is poised to see substantial job growth in the drone manufacturing sector due to new federal regulations targeting foreign-made drones. The FCC has classified such drones as national security threats, inhibiting the import and sale of new models, primarily affecting DJI, which dominates the global market with a 70% share.
Blake Resnick, CEO of Brinc Drones, predicts that this shift will create thousands of jobs, leveraging the region's rich aerospace talent from companies like Boeing, Amazon, and Blue Origin. Resnick believes Washington can meet the demand for skilled workers without looking elsewhere.
The new rules do allow existing models with prior FCC approval to continue being sold, but as inventory diminishes, U.S. manufacturers will need to ramp up production. This growth could necessitate millions of square feet of additional manufacturing space, according to Resnick.
Currently, Washington's aerospace sector supports over 77,000 jobs and contributes more than $71 billion to the economy, highlighting the region's competitive advantage in drone production.