HR5061-119

What This Bill Does

This bill updates counter-unmanned aircraft system authority. It defines covered airports, covered sites, covered events, covered entities, covered facilities, and appropriate congressional committees. It extends and modifies authority for DHS and DOJ to protect facilities and assets from unmanned aircraft systems, including detection, identification, monitoring, tracking, warning, seizure, control, disablement, damage, or destruction when authorized. It also adds FAA counter-UAS authority to detect or mitigate credible threats to safe airport operations and to test systems for interference with aircraft navigation, air traffic services, and the national airspace system.

The bill creates additional limited detection authority for covered sites and events, establishes a counter-UAS mitigation law-enforcement pilot program for state and covered local law enforcement agencies, and requires planning and deployment work at covered airports. It bars careless or reckless operation of counter-UAS systems that interferes with safe airport operations, navigation, air traffic services, or the national airspace system, and creates enforcement authority and civil penalties. It requires annual public reporting by DHS, coordinated with FAA and DOJ, on detection and mitigation activities, violations, communications interceptions, First Amendment-protected activity, seizures or destruction of drones, and privacy and civil-liberties protections. It also modernizes drone safety statements.

Who Benefits and How

Large hub airports, medium hub airports, major cargo airports, amusement park operators, critical infrastructure operators, state prison operators, 2026 FIFA World Cup host cities, and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games region benefit from clearer access to counter-UAS detection or mitigation pathways. DHS, DOJ, FAA, and Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers benefit from reauthorized authorities and training roles. U.S. counter-UAS equipment manufacturers benefit from demand for approved systems and restrictions on foreign-adversary technology. Event security companies and airport security contractors benefit from planning and deployment work. The public benefits if unauthorized drone threats near airports, critical infrastructure, prisons, and major events are detected or mitigated safely.

Who Bears the Burden and How

Drone operators near protected sites, airports, and major events face greater risk of warning, seizure, disablement, damage, destruction, or enforcement. Private counter-UAS system operators and non-federal counter-UAS operators must avoid careless or reckless operations that interfere with aviation safety. State and local law enforcement agencies in the pilot program must submit applications, justify need, follow training and protocols, coordinate with DHS, DOJ, and FAA, and protect privacy and civil liberties. DHS, DOJ, FAA, and airport operators must manage planning, approvals, oversight, reporting, privacy safeguards, and civil-liberties reviews. Foreign adversary counter-UAS companies face procurement and deployment barriers.

Key Provisions

• Defines covered airports, covered sites, covered events, covered entities, covered facilities, and appropriate congressional committees.
• Reauthorizes DHS and DOJ counter-UAS detection and mitigation authorities for protected facilities and assets.
• Provides FAA counter-UAS authority to address credible threats to the national airspace system and test counter-UAS technology.
• Establishes additional limited detection authority for covered sites and covered events.
• Creates a state and covered local law-enforcement counter-UAS mitigation pilot program.
• Requires counter-UAS planning and deployment work at covered airports.
• Prohibits careless or reckless counter-UAS operations that interfere with aviation safety and establishes enforcement authority.
• Requires annual public reporting on counter-UAS activities, privacy, civil liberties, and First Amendment impacts.