The Interior Department tests AI-controlled lawnmowers on the National Mall as part of the Trump administration's effort to save taxpayer dollars and boost efficiency.

As wildfires grow in size and frequency, more resources are needed to keep them in check. But experts say a Trump administration directive halting the purchase of new drones jeopardizes the rise of cutting-edge technology, curtailing the ability to manage wildfires and potentially putting more lives in danger. In October 2019, the US Department of the Interior grounded its fleet of more than 800 drones and put a freeze on buying new ones due to concerns of Chinese spying. Many of the devices were used in wildfire fighting and prevention, including starting prescribed burns, a key tool in controlling wildfire. The interior department carries out more than 10,000 drone flights a year on average, according to federal documents.

The Interior Department is grounding its fleet of drones -- including Chinese-made models such as this specialized "government edition" Mavic Pro, made by DJI. The Interior Department is grounding its fleet of drones -- including Chinese-made models such as this specialized "government edition" Mavic Pro, made by DJI. The Interior Department has grounded its fleet of more than 800 drones, citing potential cybersecurity risks and the need to support U.S. drone production – suggesting the move is aimed at least in part at China, a leading drone producer. Interior Secretary David Bernhardt signed an order on Wednesday grounding the drones, formalizing a "pause" he ordered nearly three months ago. "We've had only 12 drone flights since that time for emergency operations related to fires and floods," DOI Spokesperson Carol Danko said. In 2018, the Interior Department reported making 10,432 drone flights -- part of a broad expansion of its use of the aircraft under President Trump.

This past week, the Interior Department ordered the grounding of its drone fleet that was made in China or contained Chinese parts. This comes on the heels of similar actions taken by the Department of Homeland Security in May and the United States Army in 2017. While political pundits credit the ban to the Trump administration's policy initiatives against the Asian superpower, many cybersecurity analysts cite legitimate security concerns. As a result, there is a bipartisan bill pending, The American Security Drone Act of 2019, to ban all Federal agencies from using any Chinese-made aerial vehicles. As Senator Richard Blumenthal explains, "Like it or not, drones are our future. Without Congressional action, adversaries like China and Iran will use drone technology as tiny Trojan Horses to spy on our government, our critical infrastructure – even our hospitals and homes. This bill will ensure that we don't send China and others a gold-plated, flying invitation to steal our intellectual property, undermine our domestic technology, and spy on our communities."