House Homeland Security Committee Hearing on Evolving Drone Threats

Evolving Drone Warfare Tactics

• 💡 Drone warfare tactics used abroad are transforming threats to the homeland, with adversaries deploying increasingly sophisticated capabilities.
• 🚀 In Ukraine, both Russian and Ukrainian forces use drones for surveillance, targeting, and direct offensive operations, including quadcopters, loitering munitions, and kamikaze drones.
• 💥 Iranian-made Shahed drones are used by Russia to bombard Ukrainian infrastructure, while Iranian-backed groups in the Middle East target US service members and critical infrastructure.
• ⚠️ The drone strike that killed three American service members in Jordan in early 2024 highlighted the dangerous and asymmetric nature of this threat.

Accessibility and Domestic Vulnerabilities

• 🧩 Many drone systems are constructed using commercially available components and open-source software, making them accessible to non-state actors like terrorists and criminal organizations.
• 🚨 Unauthorized drone activity near US airports and critical infrastructure is becoming more frequent, with hundreds of sightings near sensitive facilities.
• ✈️ A coordinated drone attack on an airport, seaport, or mass gathering is a credible and growing threat, with potential for significant disruption and panic.
• 🇨🇳 Concerns exist regarding Chinese-manufactured drones (like DJI) operating in the US, raising national security risks related to data access and potential sabotage.

Gaps in US Counter-Drone Authorities

• 🏛️ The Department of Homeland Security has limited authorities to disrupt malicious drone activity, and most state and local law enforcement have none.
• ⏳ This gap is particularly concerning with major global events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics approaching.
• ⚠️ The 5-year pilot program for federal counter-drone authorities, now in its seventh year, has had limited renewals and inadequate expansion.
• 🤝 Collaboration between Congress, industry, and state/local stakeholders is essential to update legal authorities and invest in next-generation detection and mitigation tools.

Industry and Technological Solutions

• 🛠️ Industry leaders are innovating with counter-UAS tools, including RF cyber takeover technology, to detect, track, identify, and safely land malicious drones.
• 🌐 The need for an integrated national framework for drone oversight, including real-time flight information exchange and a low-altitude airspace coordination system, is critical.
• 🔒 Mandating unified flight authorizations, binding pilot/drone/mission data, and authenticating Remote ID signals are proposed solutions.
• 📈 The FAA has been testing counter-UAS technology since 2019, but policy inertia and acquisition drag remain significant obstacles.

Recommendations for Action

• 🚀 Congress must act to extend and expand counter-drone authorities, providing capabilities needed to counter evolving threats.
• 🎓 Expanding authorities should include robust training and oversight for state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement, as well as private security professionals.
• 💰 Dedicated funding programs are needed to enable critical infrastructure operators to procure, train, deploy, and operate counter-UAS systems.
• 🤝 A common, integrated air picture and inter-agency coordination are vital to address the complex threat landscape effectively.