New drone-surveillance power for police — with no public oversight list
S. 663 — DEFENSE Act · Filed by Tom Cotton (R-AR) · 1 cosponsor · Introduced Feb 20, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill amends federal law to allow the Department of Homeland Security or Department of Justice to deputize state and local police officers to use drone-detection and counter-drone equipment at major public events and locations with flight restrictions (like stadiums, airports, and large gatherings). Officers must complete federal training, and the equipment used must be on an approved federal list maintained by DHS, DOJ, FAA, FCC, and NTIA.
Why we flagged it
The bill's core function is to expand federal authority to deputize state/local officers to use drone-detection and counter-drone equipment at protected events. While framed as security, the mechanism is regulatory delegation with minimal guardrails.
What the text implies
- The bill does not define what 'counter' measures are authorized — it only specifies detection, identification, monitoring, or tracking. This ambiguity may permit jamming, spoofing, or destruction of civilian drones without explicit statutory language.
- State and local officers gain federal deputization authority, but oversight is delegated to federal agencies 'in coordination' — a vague standard that may not prevent misuse or ensure accountability to the public.
The full analysis lists 5 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
drone-detection technology manufacturers; counter-UAS equipment vendors; defense contractors specializing in airspace security