software supply chains and legal obligations under overseas jurisdictions could expose sensitive operational data or infrastructure — can equally be applied to GNSS and positioning equipment. When a law enforcement agency, a transportation department or a land surveyor captures centimeter-accurate spatial data used to define critical infrastructure assets or territorial boundaries, that data’s integrity and governance become matters of national interest. Domestic Production, Transparency and Accountability For domestic manufacturers — such as JAVAD GNSS, whose design and assembly occur primarily in the United States — this legislative climate highlights important differentiators: • Supply Chain Traceability: U.S.-based engineering and assembly provide clearer oversight of firmware, hardware sources and update mechanisms tied to U.S. legal frameworks. • Data Governance Clarity: Transparency around how data is stored, transmitted and protected, with audit trails and clear compliance with U.S. privacy norms, builds confidence for government and enterprise users. • Regulatory Resilience: Devices manufactured under U.S. jurisdiction are less likely to be subject to sudden import or communication restrictions rooted in geopolitical tension. It is essential to emphasize that this is not an indictment of any individual foreign manufacturer. Companies like CHC Navigation, Trimble, Topcon, Leica, Stonex and others provide valuable innovations and competition that have democratized access to precision geospatial tools globally. Yet the evolving regulatory environment makes clear that trust in technology is inseparable from questions about who controls it, how data flows are managed and under what legal regimes those controls reside. A Call for Industry Action As a community, we must take proactive steps: 1. Evaluate procurement criteria to include supply-chain transparency, data governance policies and jurisdictional oversight of firmware and cloud services. 2. Advocate for international standards that prioritize secure, auditable positioning technology that can be trusted across borders without compromising national security interests. 3. Engage policymakers to ensure that regulations aimed at protecting national interests do not inadvertently stifle technological progress or penalize industries reliant on precision instrumentation. 4. Encourage independent security audits of GNSS products, similar to those now common in telecommunications and aerospace domains. Conclusion The restrictions on foreign-manufactured drones in the United States are a symptom of a larger trend: Critical spatial infrastructure and technology are now squarely a matter of national policy as much as they are of engineering excellence and commercial utility. Surveyors have always been stewards of accurate measurement and dependable data. Today, that stewardship extends to the security and integrity of the tools we choose. Thoughtful, informed decision-making about the technologies we deploy ensures not just precise positioning, but secure, sovereign and resilient geospatial systems for the future of our profession and our nations. Sincerely, An Advocate for Secure, Transparent GNSS Technology UCLS Foresights 27
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