NEWS RELEASE: Senator Moody’s Drone Espionage Act to Crack Down on Spying through Video Surveillance of Military Installations Advances to Senate Floor

WASHINGTON, D.C.-Senator Ashley Moody's Drone Espionage Act to crack down on spying through video surveillance of military installations passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee this morning, clearing a legislative hurdle required to advance to a vote on the Senate floor. With the advent of drone technology and the rise in adversarial drones flying over military installations, this bill would make it a federal crime to take unauthorized videos of U.S. military installations. Currently it is not a federal crime under the Espionage Act of 1917 to take such unauthorized videos of U.S. military installations. Senator Moody introduced the Drone Espionage Act in May of last year.

Senator Ashley Moody said, "Florida is home to 21 military installations and three combatant commands-it is imperative we keep our bases protected and secure. The Drone Espionage Act modernizes our laws to meet technological advancements and will protect against bad actors wishing to collect intelligence of sensitive military installations on American soil. I am grateful for my Judiciary committee colleagues for supporting this important legislation today and I look forward to continuing my push for the Drone Espionage Act to become law."

The legislation updates the Espionage Act of 1917 to include videography of sensitive national defense sites as a crime and would strengthen current authorities to hold individuals who seek to threaten our national defense accountable. Senator Moody was joined by Senators Ted Budd, Tom Cotton, Mike Lee, Bernie Moreno, Thom Tillis, Elissa Slotkin, Roger Wicker, Ted Cruz, Marsha Blackburn, Tommy Tuberville, Markwayne Mullin, Katie Britt and Dave McCormick. Representative Jen Kiggans (R-VA) introduced bipartisan companion legislation in the House of Representatives.

BACKGROUND…

There have been several documented cases from recent years that underscore the vital importance of this legislation, including but not limited to:

• In Newport News, Virginia (where the U.S. Navy has a massive presence), a PRC national was convicted after flying a drone with a camera over a naval shipyard. He was a student at the University of Minnesota.
• In February 2025, a Canadian man was charged with using an unmanned aircraft to photograph Patrick Space Force Base.
• In November 2024, a Chinese citizen living in Los Angeles was charged and sentenced for flying a drone over Vandenberg Space Force Base and taking images.
• In June of 2020, three Chinese nationals were sentenced for illegal imagery at U.S. Naval Air Station in Key West, Florida.

MORE…

• Senator Moody Pushes for Her Drone Espionage Act to Crack Down on Spying through Video Surveillance of Military Installations be Included in National Defense Authorization Bill
• Senator Ashley Moody Introduces Drone Espionage Act to Crack Down on Spying through Video Surveillance of Military Installations

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