The House on Tuesday approved a measure authorizing a short-term extension of existing counter-drone authorities for the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice.
The counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) authorities remain in effect until Oct. 1, 2024 and were included in a five-year reauthorization bill for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that passed the Senate last week and the House on Tuesday on a 387 to 26 vote. The bill now goes to President Biden for his signature.
The Biden administration in 2022 had sought more than a reauthorization of existing C-UAS authorities, asking Congress to extend the provisions to state and local law enforcers, and critical infrastructure entities. A bipartisan bill led by Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) took up the administration’s proposal but it was never considered by the Senate.
The Senate bill would have also granted the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which is part of DHS, authorization to protect transportation infrastructure from drone threats, including to detect, track, identify, monitor, and mitigate. DHS later gave TSA the same C-UAS authorities the parent department has.
TSA operates counter-drone testbeds at Miami and Los Angeles International Airports.
Airspace security company Dedrone issued a statement by its top executive about the failure to include the counter-UAS authorities for the local law enforcers and critical infrastructure entities.
“Every day, Dedrone is on the frontlines with our public safety partners who are desperate to get the authorities and tools needed to protect our communities from the threats posed by malicious drones,” Aaditya Devarakonda, the company’s CEO, said in a statement. “We look forward to continuing to work with lawmakers as they consider new counter-drone authorities and urge Congress to swiftly pass legislation to protect against the growing drone threat.”