Sponsor
The bill creates a regulated pathway to test and deploy U.S.-made nonlethal drones—potentially reducing fatalities and supporting domestic industry—while raising notable privacy, safety, accountability, and cost trade‑offs for communities and government purchasers.
Law enforcement agencies and local communities can test U.S.-manufactured nonlethal drones, creating the potential to reduce deaths and improve outcomes during active‑shooter and other high‑risk incidents.
Law enforcement and state agencies get formal training, validation, and safety protocols for drone use, improving operational readiness and reducing the risk of misuse during deployments.
Manufacturers and agencies gain clearer regulatory pathways because the FAA must report and conduct rulemaking, increasing regulatory clarity for approval and deployment.
Bystanders, residents, and communities may face increased privacy invasions and civil‑liberties concerns from the use of drones in armed‑response scenarios.
Civilians and officers risk unintended injuries or escalation if nonlethal weapons deployed from drones malfunction or are misapplied.
Concentrating approval and use of armed‑response drones under limited authorities may reduce public oversight and lead to inconsistent accountability across jurisdictions.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Creates an FAA pilot program to test U.S.-made nonlethal "deescalation" drones for federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and requires reporting and rulemaking.
Senator · R-WV
Official title: Amend title 49, United States Code, to establish a pilot program for small, nonlethal deescalation unmanned aircraft to be used for law enforcement and public safety, and for other purposes.
Introduced April 15, 2026 by James Conley Justice · Last progress April 15, 2026
Creates a new FAA pilot program to evaluate use of U.S.-made, nonlethal “deescalation” drones by federal, State, local, and Tribal law enforcement during active shooter incidents. The FAA must set up the program within two months, use existing UAS test ranges and interagency agreements, require weapon validation, training and safety protocols, assess indoor effectiveness, report findings to Congress, and begin rulemaking for approvals after the pilot ends.