Five federal departments announce a counter-drone agreement with FAA safety reviews of new systems
Five departments announced the agreement on November 9: Transportation, War, Homeland Security, Energy, and Justice. The FAA will review proposed counter-drone systems for safety risk. It can also add its own protective measures, including restricting airspace.
By Joel Kelly
Decision brief
The agreement is between federal departments. It covers how counter-drone systems are developed, tested, and reviewed. The release announces no new rule for drone pilots. It does say the FAA can restrict airspace as a protective measure, so check for temporary flight restrictions before you fly.
- Announced
- Nov 9, 2026
- FAA role
- Safety risk reviews
- Airspace
- FAA can restrict it
By DOT, the Department of War, DHS, DOE, and DOJ
Of proposed counter-drone systems, with recommended ways to reduce risk
One of the protective measures the release says the FAA can use
The agreement
A memorandum of understanding among five departments.
Five federal departments announced a counter-drone agreement on November 9. They are the Departments of Transportation, War, Homeland Security, Energy, and Justice. The FAA's release says the aim is to better coordinate federal counter-drone work. The agreement is a memorandum of understanding. The release says the White House Task Force to Restore American Airspace Sovereignty led it. It says the memorandum "further establishes" a process across agencies to evaluate counter-drone tools and deploy them.
The release lists what the parties agreed to. They will work closely with the FAA and the FCC when they develop new systems that "detect, track, stop, or take control of dangerous or unauthorized drones." They will consider DOT, FAA, and FCC requirements and any testing data when they research, develop, test, or assess those systems. They will also work together on technical requirements, field testing, and data sharing. The FAA may supply requirements, standards, and guidance for bringing the systems in safely. DOT may give guidance on how they fit into the wider civilian transportation system.
The FAA's part
Safety risk assessments, and airspace restrictions if it wants more protection.
The FAA has its own job under the agreement. The release says the agency "will quickly review and conduct safety risk assessments of proposed systems." The reviews check that safety protocols and airspace deconfliction measures are adequate. The FAA will share any data that shows unsafe conditions, with ways to reduce the risk. "If the FAA believes additional risk mitigation is needed it can implement its own protective measures, including restricting airspace," the release says. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said the agreement sets up "a consistent process to ensure counter-drone technologies can be used without compromising aviation safety."
What it builds on
The border flight restriction and a laser safety assessment.
The release says the effort builds on work the FAA and its federal partners already do. It names two examples. One is a temporary flight restriction along the southern U.S. border. The other is "a comprehensive safety assessment" of the Department of War's high-energy laser counter-drone system. On November 10, the FAA's TFR list still showed three security NOTAMs for the U.S.-Mexico border: FDC 6/9954, 6/9956, and 6/9978. FBI Director Kash Patel said the agreement means new counter-drone tools are "tested, deconflicted, and ready to deploy safely alongside civilian aviation."
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