NEDD Act of 2025

The Nuclear Ecosystem Drone Defense Act of 2025, or NEDD Act, aims to enhance the Department of Energy's capabilities by providing specific exemptions related to unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). It exempts the Secretary of Energy from existing prohibitions on the procurement, operation, and use of federal funds for UAS originating from certain foreign entities, as outlined in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024. Furthermore, the bill grants the Secretary of Energy new authority to determine the usage of classified tracking for these systems and provides an accounting exception . These provisions are intended to streamline the Department's ability to utilize UAS for its critical missions. Finally, the Act expands the Secretary's authority under the Atomic Energy Defense Act to protect nuclear facilities and assets , including those involved in special nuclear material or non-nuclear components for weapons, from potential threats posed by unmanned aircraft.