Sponsor
Mike Lee
Senator · R-UT
Senator · R-UT
The bill strengthens airport, local, and federal ability to detect, procure, train for, and rapidly mitigate UAS threats — improving safety and response capability — but does so in ways that raise substantial privacy, interference, liability, cost, and civil‑liberties risks that will require strong limits, oversight, and technical safeguards.
Passengers, airport staff, and travelers will face fewer drone-related disruptions and safety risks because commercial airports and airport law enforcement gain clear authority, guidance, and tools to detect and mitigate unauthorized UAS.
Airport operators and local governments can purchase eligible Counter‑UAS equipment using Airport Improvement Program funds, reducing the need for new local capital outlays to improve airport defenses.
State, local, tribal, and federal agencies (and some private partners) get standardized, centralized training and approved vendor lists, speeding procurement of vetted systems and improving consistent multiagency responses to UAS incidents.
People near airports and operational areas (travelers, nearby residents) may have communications intercepted, accessed, or disrupted without consent, creating significant privacy and Fourth Amendment risks.
Non‑kinetic electronic countermeasures authorized by the bill can cause collateral interference with radios, GPS, airline and first-responder communications, hospitals, utilities, and other critical services, risking safety and service disruptions.
Expanded powers for law enforcement and many agencies to disable, seize, or destroy UAS — plus wider access to Counter‑UAS tools — raise risks of misuse, overbroad application, property damage, injuries, and uneven exercise of authority across jurisdictions.
Based on analysis of 8 sections of legislative text.
Authorizes coordinated Counter‑UAS detection, identification, testing, and mitigation (including non‑kinetic signal interception/disruption) by federal, state, local, and airport law enforcement and sets training, procurement, and notification rules.
Official title: Authorize Counter-UAS activities on and off commercial service airport property, and for other purposes.
Introduced April 2, 2025 by Mike Lee · Last progress April 2, 2025
Authorizes federal, state, local, and airport law enforcement to detect, identify, track, and mitigate threats from unmanned aircraft (UAS) at and around commercial service airports and elsewhere in state/local jurisdictions, including use and testing of electronic (non-kinetic) equipment that can intercept or disrupt UAS control signals. Establishes consultation, notification, training, procurement, and interagency coordination processes (involving FAA, FCC, NTIA, DHS, DOJ, DoD, DOE, OMB, and airports) for deployment, testing, and vendor lists; creates a limited statutory exception in communications law to permit certain law-enforcement signal-interception and disruption when coordinated with the FCC. Also requires training curricula, contracting authorities, and task forces to integrate Counter‑UAS responses into airport emergency plans while preserving traditional police powers.