Flying under the radar: Congress is poised to let key counter-drone authorities lapse
By andOn Tuesday, unless Congress acts, America will lose critical counter-drone protections, making it easier for adversaries and criminals to exploit our skies.
Absent congressional action, the federal government’s ability to mitigate drone threats will be called into legal question, as key authorities lapse. Should this occur, it will put our nation’s critical infrastructure and American lives at risk by creating an unnecessary gap in the fabric of our nation’s security.
These counter-unmanned aircraft system authorities were granted to the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice in 2018 to address proliferating use of commercial and hobby drones and the risk they pose to critical infrastructure, particularly airports.
In the years since, Congress has wisely extended these authorities, as drone use has exploded. Today there are over one million drones registered with the Federal Aviation Administration in the U.S. By 2028, that figure is expected to triple. At the same time, the technology and protocols for detecting, interdicting and mitigating UAS has continued to evolve.