Civil Air Patrol is aligning its plans, budget, and partnerships behind a single long-term vision. The Board of Governors approved the 2007 fiscal year budget as the first step toward a spending plan built entirely around Strategic Plan 2035, offered National Commander and CEO Maj. Gen. Regena M. Aye a one-year extension to provide steady leadership during a period of transition, and set a course for CAP to become a national leader in small uncrewed aircraft operations.
For members, that means clearer priorities, closer coordination with the U.S. Air Force, and new opportunities for cadets and operators alike.
“Aligning CAP’s strategic plan to an operationalized budget enables the Board of Governors to mature and synchronize our efforts to ensure effective, efficient and proper management and fiduciary oversight.”
Civil Air Patrol’s Board of Governors, during its latest meeting, set a course for CAP to become a national leader in small uncrewed aircraft operations. Here, South Dakota Wing’s Skydio X10D UAS sits on a landing and take-off pad used for safe operations. The drone is capable of taking hundreds of photos on a pre-programmed course, including visible light and infrared.
A Plan with a Budget Behind It
Strategic Plan 2035 sets CAP's direction. Now the Board of Governors is ensuring the organization's resources are aligned.
Leadership will translate the plan's goals into specific initiatives, each with a clear owner, milestones, performance measures, and resource needs. Fiscal 2027 will serve as a foundation year, establishing baseline data and measuring outcomes so leaders can see where resources make the biggest difference. Quarterly progress reports and performance dashboards will keep that work visible. By fiscal 2028, CAP expects to build its first budget directly around an operational strategic plan.
The board-approved fiscal 2027 budget gives leadership limited flexibility to respond to needs as the year unfolds. Aye, CAP’s CEO, and Christopher Plamp, CAP’s chief operating officer, may jointly approve corporate budget reallocations of up to $250,000, while any larger individual reallocation must be submitted to the board. The approach balances agility with accountability and keeps major investments in clear view.
Steady Leadership Through Change
Carrying out a long-term plan requires continuity. The board voted unanimously to offer Aye a one-year extension as national commander and CEO, providing steady leadership as significant organizational, leadership, and governance transitions take place and key initiatives remain underway.
The board also examined ways to strengthen long-term leadership capacity. Members discussed creating a second senior deputy commander position to strengthen oversight and accountability across national programs and supported further development of the concept. Work continues on the role's responsibilities, authority, title, and governance language, in coordination with Air Force stakeholders, and a formal proposal will be returned to the board for consideration.
A Closer Air Force Partnership
CAP's strength as the Air Force auxiliary depends on a strong working relationship with its Air Force partners, and that relationship is growing closer.
Leaders from CAP-USAF, the Air Force organization that provides advice, liaison, and oversight to CAP, briefed the board on shared priorities, including cadet protection, flight safety, readiness and modernization, and emerging mission development. Both organizations are committing to earlier collaboration, which will lead to better communication, less rework, and stronger support for the missions CAP members carry out every day.
That partnership continues to open doors to new work. Since 2024, CAP representatives have taken part in Air Force planning forums and working groups focused on future mission needs, and they will continue to help shape how CAP supports those requirements. Closer coordination with partner agencies is also streamlining mission authorizations, and CAP remains engaged in transition programs, military partnerships, and uniform support initiatives.
The Air Force is also formally recognizing the value of CAP service. A new special experience identifier will recognize qualifying CAP service by Air Force members, and the board discussed how aggregate program data could help tell CAP's story, strengthen outreach, and support recruiting and retention.
Underpinning all of this is an update to the Cooperative Agreement and Statement of Objectives that govern the CAP-USAF relationship. The effort aims to clarify roles and responsibilities, eliminate duplicate reporting, and leave room for the partnership to grow as mission needs evolve.
A South Dakota Wing UAS team works on a training sortie in the rugged terrain of the Black Hills. CAP Col. Mike Beason (left) is the director of CAP’s UAS program in South Dakota. He is supervising and approving training tasks for UAS pilot Maj. Donny Weiand.
The Future of Small Uncrewed Aircraft
No topic received more of the board's attention than small uncrewed aircraft systems. The board discussed a long-term strategy to make CAP a national leader in this field, grounded in a clear principle: continue to define mission requirements first, then invest, so every future purchase aligns with a validated need.
That strategy takes effect as CAP completes a transition required by federal law. Since March 2026, CAP has been moving away from foreign-produced drones, including DJI systems, that are not on the Blue List of approved platforms. CAP will turn in non-Blue systems purchased with federal funds to the CAP warehouse once the annual inventory closes on Nov. 20, 2026. Donated or corporate-funded systems may remain in service for corporate missions only through Sept. 30, 2027. The change is not a judgment on the equipment or on the units and donors who acquired it, and it is not a step back from CAP's uncrewed aircraft mission.
CAP recently authorized the purchase of 29 new rotary mission systems and continues to accelerate the acquisition of a modern, compliant fleet that meets the requirements of the organization’s missions.
The strategy expands support for Air Force, emergency management, first responders, and community resilience. It strengthens partnerships and explores future roles in homeland security, disaster response, and infrastructure. CAP will manage its uncrewed fleet like its crewed aircraft, with lifecycle planning and standardized sustainment, supported by better training and readiness standards. Cadets will have new pathways in STEM, aviation, and workforce development, including FAA Part 107 remote pilot certification opportunities.
“SUAS systems remain a critical part of CAPs future and a critical component to ensure our success in achieving all three of our primary missions.”
Looking Ahead
The board will continue to track progress on Strategic Plan 2035, budget alignment, leadership initiatives, the CAP-USAF partnership, emerging missions, the national uncrewed aircraft strategy, and the Cooperative Agreement update.
Watch for future updates as this work progresses.
“Thank you for your continued commitment to Civil Air Patrol and to the missions we carry out for our communities and our nation.”
