Large public venues like sports stadiums and outdoor concerts often sit under federal no-fly zones during events, and federal law already allows certain drone countermeasures in those zones. The DEFENSE Act lets the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Attorney General deputize state and local police officers to use that same drone-detection and countermeasure authority at those venues. Deputized officers must first complete training specified by federal agencies, and their use of the authority stays under federal oversight. The equipment they can use is limited to systems on a pre-approved list developed jointly by DHS, the Justice Department, the FAA, the FCC, and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
Civil Liberties
- Drone detection and monitoring authority at public gatherings — Extended to deputized state and local law enforcement officers at venues with temporary flight restrictions
Transparency & Accountability
- Federal oversight of deputized state officers — DHS and AG required to exercise ongoing oversight of state and local officers using drone countermeasure authority
Congressional Summary
Disabling Enemy Flight Entry and Neutralizing Suspect Equipment Act or the DEFENSE ActThis bill allows the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or the Department of Justice (DOJ) to deputize state or local law enforcement officers to take certain drone countermeasures to protect stadiums and other public gatherings.Specifically, DHS or DOJ may provide state or local law enforcement officers with the authority to identify, monitor, and track drones; warn drone operators; disrupt or take control of drones; or use reasonable force to disable, damage, and seize or destroy drones deemed to pose a threat.This authority applies for the purposes of protecting an event, stadium, or venue; certain large public gatherings (e.g., gatherings that are primarily outdoors with an estimated attendance of at least 100,000 people); or other public gatherings protected by specific temporary flight restrictions imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).Prior to being deputized, a state or local law enforcement officer must complete training in the use of the drone countermeasure authority.DHS or DOJ, in coordination with the Department of Transportation and the FAA, must exercise oversight over the use of this authority by deputized state or local law enforcement officers.Finally, the bill limits the equipment authorized for detecting, identifying, monitoring, or tracking drones to systems or technologies that are included on a list of authorized equipment maintained by DHS, in coordination with DOJ, the FAA, the Federal Communications Commission, and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in House
- Action Date
- 2025-05-06
- Date Added
- 2026-06-19
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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