Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act: A Comprehensive Approach to Ensuring Airspace Safety and Security

The Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act, approved by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, aims to reauthorize, reform, and expand the counter-unmanned aircraft system (counter-UAS) authorities of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ). The legislation addresses the growing concern of drone-related safety and security risks, particularly with the upcoming multinational events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics. The bill improves coordination requirements between authorized agencies, establishes standards for counter-UAS training programs, and authorizes a pilot program to equip state and local law enforcement agencies with the necessary tools to mitigate threatening drones.

Key Takeaways:

• The Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act improves coordination requirements between DHS, DOJ, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the event of an unlawful UAS incursion.
• The bill increases Americans' privacy and civil liberty protections by ensuring information gathered by approved counter-UAS systems is not misused or retained for an extended period.
• The legislation requires DHS to maintain a list of evaluated and approved models of counter-UAS detection and mitigation equipment and technologies.
• The bill establishes a Counter-UAS Mitigation Law Enforcement Pilot Program, authorizing eligible non-Federal law enforcement agencies to mitigate threatening drones at certain sites and events.
• The program will start with five state and covered local law enforcement agencies, each able to protect up to four covered sites, and may expand to 10 additional agencies after 18 months and 12 additional agencies after the previous expansion.
• The legislation creates a Special Program for Multinational Sporting Events, requiring DHS to establish a program to enable the deployment and operation of approved counter-UAS mitigation systems by state and local law enforcement responsible for securing the 2026 FIFA World Cup, 2028 Summer Olympics, and Summer Paralympic Games.
• The bill increases counter-UAS system planning and deployment at airports, requiring the FAA to develop a plan for counter-UAS operations at U.S. airports and deploy counter-UAS detection systems at large hub, medium hub, and three cargo mega hub airports.
• The legislation modernizes drone safety statements, requiring manufacturers of small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) to make available to the operator of such system a safety statement, including information about applicable laws and regulations, as well as information about temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) and airspace restrictions applicable to sUAS.

Statistics:

• Up to four covered sites per eligible non-Federal law enforcement agency in the Counter-UAS Mitigation Law Enforcement Pilot Program.
• Five state and covered local law enforcement agencies participating in the pilot program, with the potential for expansion to 10 additional agencies after 18 months and 12 additional agencies after the previous expansion.
• Up to 5 Core 30 airports participating in the counter-UAS mitigation pilot program to assess the feasibility of mitigating errant UAS operations within the airport environment.
• 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics are covered events under the Special Program for Multinational Sporting Events.

Sources:

• [U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act]