The United States hasn’t the manufacturing capability anymore, particularly the chips underlying the technology of drones. With China supplying the base technology, and with their KNOWN propensity for installing back door access in their products, this could cripple American efforts to exploit the technology.
Shoot. Is there any GOOD news?
Possibly. The American amateur radio community, and the similar Maker community, have inspired many homegrown innovators to develop non-proprietary software and hardware. Many of those innovations are based on components of Raspberry Pi and Arduino products. Some of these projects:
A very comprehensive, step by step guide to building your own drone
Arduino drones with Instructables (I like their simple, illustrated instructions)
Some ideas for drone use - aside from attack. It’s important to practice BEFORE you need the technology.
ARRL’s books
When do you need a drone license?
Technically, you are non-compliant when you fall under the FCC guidelines. Now, many will say “screw it!”
I’m a believer in following reasonable rules. The FCC AND the FAA have a legitimate interest in keeping newbs from interfering with aircraft operations and wireless communications. If you are adamantly against ANY cooperation, at least get the study guides, and learn how to avoid getting in their faces. What you do about getting a license is up to you.
Having said that, it really does help to get a basic radio license. With 3/4 million of us, widely scattered, it would be impossible for them to put us ALL in the gulags. And, both local clubs and the national organization, ARRL, would be fighting this tooth and nail (you do realize that a significant portion of active radio operators are military/former military?). There is a big overlap between gun owners and radio operators.
Here’s my favorite site for online preparation for the test. You can access it on your computer, tablet, or phone. Free to all (although it would be nice to toss a few bucks their way - the sidebar at the link shows different ways to do that).
Taiwan is a major chip manufacturer. If war comes there it may be over chips. The US
Is trying to get chip manufacturing going here.