Listen to the article
The Department of Homeland Security has created an office to operate drones and counter bad ones, with millions of dollars already slated to protect upcoming high-profile mass gatherings across the United States, agency officials said on Monday.
The new Program Executive Office for Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems will “oversee strategic investments in drone and counter-drone technologies that can outpace evolving threats and tactics,” the agency said in a press release.
DHS said the office “has already begun its work” and is finalizing a plan to spend $115 million on counter-drone tech.
The launch comes as the Trump administration looks to protect the World Cup and its 100-plus soccer matches spread across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. DHS officials also said the office will help protect celebrations surrounding the United States’ 250th anniversary.
“Drones represent the new frontier of American air superiority,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement, adding that the office “will help us continue to secure the border and cripple the cartels, protect our infrastructure, and keep Americans safe as they attend festivities and events during a historic year of America’s 250th birthday and FIFA 2026.”
Late last year, the Trump administration made some $500 million in grants available to states and localities to help fund their own anti-drone efforts; half is expected to be allocated in fiscal year 2026 and half in FY27.
The FY26 National Defense Authorization Act, which President Trump signed into law last month, also extended DHS and the Justice Department’s counter-drone authorities until 2031. The powers, first granted in 2018, lapsed during last year’s government shutdown, but the renewal means that both agencies can continue to track, detect, and disable drones that are deemed a threat to public safety.
Drones have been used for a host of nefarious purposes, from smuggling drugs across the U.S.-Mexico border to delivering contraband to prisons. Others have strayed or been sent into sensitive areas, disrupting airports and sporting events.
The Federal Aviation Administration said it receives over 100 reports each month of drones operating near airports. After passage of the FY26 NDAA, the National Football League said it had detected roughly 2,300 drones around NFL stadiums in violation of game-day Temporary Flight Restrictions.
Since 2018, DHS said, it has conducted over 1,500 missions to counter “illicit drone activities” across the country.
“The new Program Executive Office will be taking the threat of hostile drones head-on and innovating ways drones can keep us safe from other threats on the ground, equipping the Department with the technology and expertise we need to keep us Americans safe,” the agency said.
Read the full article here
18 Comments
The creation of the Program Executive Office for Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems is a significant step towards addressing the growing threat of hostile drones, with $115 million already allocated for counter-drone tech.
This is a crucial investment, especially considering the 100-plus soccer matches spread across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico for the World Cup.
The conduct of over 1,500 missions to counter ‘illicit drone activities’ since 2018 is impressive, but I’d like to know more about the success rate of these missions and what lessons have been learned.
The fact that the new office has already begun its work and is finalizing a plan to spend $115 million on counter-drone tech is a positive sign, but I’d like to know more about the timeline and milestones for this effort.
The allocation of half of the $500 million in grants in fiscal year 2026 and the other half in FY27 seems like a reasonable approach, but I wonder what the justification is for this phased allocation.
The establishment of this new office is a step in the right direction, but I’m skeptical about the ability of the government to keep up with the rapidly evolving drone technology and tactics.
The fact that the Federal Aviation Administration receives over 100 reports each month of drones operating near airports is alarming and underscores the need for this new office.
It’s surprising that it’s taken this long to establish a dedicated office to address this issue, given the risks posed by rogue drones.
The $500 million in grants available to states and localities to fund their own anti-drone efforts is a significant investment, but I wonder how it will be allocated and what the criteria will be for receiving these funds.
I’m supportive of the new office’s goal to ‘innovate ways drones can keep us safe from other threats on the ground,’ but I hope they will also prioritize transparency and accountability in their operations.
The fact that drones have been used for nefarious purposes such as smuggling drugs and delivering contraband to prisons highlights the need for effective counter-measures.
The statement that the new office will ‘help us continue to secure the border and cripple the cartels’ is ambitious, but I hope they have a clear plan in place to achieve these goals.
The detection of roughly 2,300 drones around NFL stadiums in violation of game-day Temporary Flight Restrictions is a staggering number and underscores the need for better enforcement and counter-drone technologies.
I’m curious to know more about the types of counter-drone technologies that the new office will be investing in, and how they plan to outpace evolving threats and tactics.
The extension of DHS and the Justice Department’s counter-drone authorities until 2031 is a positive development, allowing them to continue tracking, detecting, and disabling drones that pose a threat to public safety.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s statement that ‘drones represent the new frontier of American air superiority’ highlights the importance of this new office in securing the border and protecting Americans.
The protection of celebrations surrounding the United States’ 250th anniversary is a significant task, and I hope the new office is adequately prepared to address potential drone-related threats during this time.
The reference to the ‘historic year of America’s 250th birthday and FIFA 2026’ as a motivation for establishing this new office highlights the importance of protecting high-profile events from drone-related threats.