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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice issued an interim final rule expanding counter-UAS authority to qualified state and local law enforcement agencies, allowing them to use drone-detection technology and, for specially trained personnel, to mitigate or disable drones deemed public safety threats. The rule took effect retroactively from July 1, 2026, requires annual accreditation through an FBI-operated federal portal, officer certification for detection activities, operational coordination and reporting, and a two-week mitigation training course at the FBI’s National Counter-UAS Training Center at Redstone Arsenal for personnel authorized to take drones down. Officials cited rising risks to critical infrastructure and more than 600 drone incidents in restricted airspace during the ongoing World Cup as justification for the change, while public comments remain open through September 4.
The expanded framework builds on federal counter-drone powers first established in 2018 and broadened again through a 2025 defense funding measure, extending practical enforcement reach beyond federal agencies. Civil liberties advocates warn that the same authorities can enable broad seizure of drones under civil forfeiture rules, with owners potentially losing aircraft even when they are caught by complex temporary flight restrictions or overlapping FAA authorization systems such as LAANC. The debate has sharpened around whether the new regime appropriately addresses security threats or gives law enforcement excessive discretion to confiscate or neutralize drones used by ordinary operators near major events and other sensitive locations.
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The ACLU article says the FBI and DHS have been seizing large numbers of drones near major events such as World Cup games under expanded counter-drone authorities and civil forfeiture rules. It also notes that more than 600 drone incidents in restricted airspace have occurred during the ongoing World Cup.
According to the ACLU article, counter-drone seizure authority was broadened again in 2025 through a provision attached to a Defense Department funding measure. This expanded the scope of federal powers affecting drone operators.
A 2018 law gave the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice authority to destroy or seize drones under expanded counter-drone powers. The ACLU article identifies this as the legal basis for later drone seizure practices.
An interim final rule from DHS and DOJ took effect retroactively on 2026-07-01, allowing qualified state and local law enforcement agencies to use drone detection technologies and, for specially trained personnel, mitigate or disable threatening drones. The rule requires safeguards, annual accreditation through an FBI-operated portal, officer certification, and coordination and reporting of operations.
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U.S. military leaders said small unmanned aircraft are increasingly threatening both domestic installations and overseas operations, prompting a broader push to improve counter-drone defenses. Gen. Gregory Guillot told lawmakers that **350 drone detections** were reported over the past year across **100 U.S. military installations**, with the primary concern being surveillance of sensitive capabilities by known and unknown actors. He said existing authorities under `Title 10, Section 130i` are too narrow because only about half of installations are covered and commanders often cannot act against drones flying just outside base perimeters. NORTHCOM and NORAD have since established a dedicated counter-drone operations branch, and the Pentagon designated NORTHCOM as the lead coordinator for counter-small UAS efforts in the continental United States and Alaska. At the same time, the Pentagon is continuing to send counter-UAS systems to the Middle East through **Joint Interagency Task Force 401** as regional tensions and an unstable ceasefire sustain demand for air defense. JIATF-401 said it committed more than **$600 million** in counter-drone defenses for Operation Epic Fury and domestic missions, including about **$350 million** in roughly 30 days for CENTCOM. Officials and outside experts said the threat now spans Iran-backed drone activity, lessons from the Russia-Ukraine war, unauthorized flights over bases such as **Barksdale Air Force Base**, southern border operations, and security planning for major events including the **2026 FIFA World Cup**. The Defense Department is also testing commercially available systems through Falcon Peak exercises to detect, track, identify, and defeat low-emission and no-emission drones.
Jun 29, 2026
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has enacted a ban on the import and approval of new foreign-made drones and their critical components, citing significant national security risks. This decision, effective immediately, adds unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and related parts produced in foreign countries to the FCC's Covered List, which already includes companies like Kaspersky, ZTE, and Huawei. The ban specifically targets products from major Chinese manufacturers such as DJI and Autel Robotics, preventing the sale of their latest models in the U.S. while allowing continued use and sale of previously approved devices. The FCC's move follows recommendations from an Executive Branch interagency body with national security expertise and is supported by recent legislative actions, including the Countering CCP Drones Act within the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act. The FCC and U.S. lawmakers argue that foreign-made drones and their components pose unacceptable risks, including the potential for persistent surveillance, data exfiltration, and destructive operations over U.S. territory, especially during high-profile events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics. The ban covers a wide range of UAS components, such as data transmission devices, communications systems, flight controllers, and smart batteries. The FCC emphasized that this action is intended to safeguard American airspace sovereignty and reduce the risk of direct drone attacks, unauthorized surveillance, and other homeland security threats posed by foreign-manufactured drone technology.
Jun 29, 2026
The UK Ministry of Defence is advancing legal changes in the *Armed Forces Bill* to give British defence personnel explicit authority to neutralize drones and other unmanned platforms deemed threatening near military bases and operations, a power currently more constrained and typically exercised by police and select agencies. The MoD cited a sharp rise in reported unmanned aerial intrusions near sensitive UK sites (266 in 2025 vs. 126 in 2024) and indicated the practical response will often rely on **electronic countermeasures** (e.g., RF jamming) rather than small-arms fire; recent examples and demonstrations referenced include RF jamming incidents and UK testing of **directed-energy** counter-drone systems (high-energy RF and laser-based capabilities). Separately, the U.S. Marine Corps’ 2nd Maintenance Battalion announced an **NDAA-compliant** modular drone, **HANX**, designed to avoid China-sourced parts and to be rapidly manufactured and repaired using **3D-printed components** in-house. The stated intent is to shorten procurement and sustainment timelines by reducing reliance on external contractors while enabling quick reconfiguration for missions ranging from reconnaissance to “one-way attack” roles, reflecting a broader push toward more secure, domestically supportable unmanned systems within U.S. defense organizations.
Jun 29, 2026