PERSPECTIVE: What the Drone Community Needs Now: A Call to Action for Counter-UAS Preparedness

As drones continue to demonstrate their value across industries, from emergency response to logistics, they are also becoming increasingly attractive tools for bad actors. From smuggling contraband into correctional facilities to flying suspicious payloads near critical infrastructure and along the border, unmanned aerial systems (UAS) are presenting new and complex challenges for public safety agencies. With UAS threats evolving quickly, it’s time for Congress to act.

The threat from drones has further been demonstrated by how destructive drones have been used by both sides in Ukraine. Drones have forever changed the landscape during war.

Federal facilitation of training, certification and funding.

Develop a National CUAS Advisory Committee consisting of federal, SLTT, airports, correctional facilities, border protection, airports, private sector and other stakeholders to provide input, share concerns and recommend guidance.

A National Strategy for CUAS that focuses on the most serious areas of threat and is broken down into two specific areas of detection and mitigation.

Develop a nationwide governance consisting of federal, SLTT, and private sector engagement in the implementation phases. Governance must be established at each level and be facilitated at the federal level.

Provide advanced detection authorities to federal, state, local, tribal, territorial (FSLTT) law enforcement agencies which enables agencies to detect, identify and classify threat level of drone incursions. Many of these incursions can be handled by informing the remote pilots without further action.

Codify current FAA Rules and Regulations at the state level (similar to Highway regulations) to allow and local law enforcement to enforce these regulations. There will never be enough federal assets to respond quickly to local threats.

Develop a pilot project on detection and mitigation that prioritizes on correctional facilities, border protection, airports, high risk private sector facilities and other high risk/frequency areas. This pilot program will provide a learning experience that can be used to develop the broader CUAS strategy.

This renewed urgency aligns with two newly signed executive orders by the Trump administration, which can be viewed here and here. For a more in-depth look at these EO’s read my recent article titled New Executive Orders Chart Bold Path for U.S. Drone Innovation and Airspace Security.