LANDED Act

Summary#

This bill, called the LANDED Act, would set up ways for State law enforcement to work with federal agencies to detect, stop, and study drones involved in unlawful activity. It creates an application and agreement process for States to acquire and use approved counter-UAS (unmanned aircraft system) detection and mitigation systems. The bill lists specific actions that approved State personnel could take, including detecting, identifying, tracking, warning operators, disrupting or seizing control of drones, confiscating drones, and using reasonable force to disable or destroy them. Agencies must coordinate with the Federal Aviation Administration and consult the Federal Communications Commission or NTIA about spectrum and communications impacts. The bill also requires a mandatory nonemergency deconfliction reporting system (a database of drones’ transponder IDs and times of use), a Counter-UAS Security Grant Program for State law enforcement to buy equipment and train personnel, and a Department of Defense Inspector General review and report on UAS activity. The bill includes rules for approvals, 24-hour post-event reporting after each mitigation, a 180-day period of case-by-case federal approval after initial deployments, and conditions for revoking approvals.

What it means for you#

  • State law enforcement agencies could be authorized to use approved systems to detect and stop drones that are judged to pose threats to people, safety, national security sites, infrastructure, or the economy.
  • There would be a national database for nonemergency drone operations that lets other agencies check whether a drone’s transponder ID is currently in use.
  • If a State agency uses an approved counter-UAS to mitigate a drone, it must submit a detailed post-event report within 24 hours to federal officials.
  • The FAA will make location-specific safety decisions; some areas could be ineligible if use would interfere with airspace safety.

Expenses#

The bill creates grant authority and refers repeatedly to actions being "subject to the availability of appropriations." It authorizes a Counter-UAS Security Grant Program for State law enforcement and specifies that grant funds must be available for at least 24 months. The bill does not include specific funding amounts or cost estimates. No publicly available information on exact costs, appropriations levels, or budget impact is provided in the bill text.

Proponents' View#

The bill's stated purpose is to create mechanisms for State law enforcement to coordinate with the Federal Government to detect and stop drones involved in unlawful activities. It directs federal agencies to establish processes, approvals, and training so State agencies can safely and lawfully acquire and operate approved counter-UAS systems and so agencies can deconflict drone operations.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.