The bill would let the Secretary of State and trained, authorized personnel counter unmanned aircraft threats to certain high-risk State Department facilities and assets in the United States. Actions could include detecting and tracking aircraft, warning operators, disrupting controls, taking control of or seizing aircraft, and using reasonable force to disable or destroy them. The department would have to coordinate with the Federal Aviation Administration to protect airspace and airport safety. The bill also sets limits on handling communications and requires reports to Congress. The authority would end seven years after enactment.
The authority would apply only to facilities and assets that meet the bill’s definition of covered, including risk assessment and coordination with the FAA. The bill requires privacy protections for intercepted communications, including limits on how long records are kept and when information may be shared. It does not describe changes to rules for ordinary drone use.
The bill does not state a total cost or provide funding amounts. It would require the State Department to include a yearly display of funding sources for these activities in its budget materials to Congress.
No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.