A bipartisan Home invoice would launch a pilot program to check how small, nonlethal drones might assist legislation enforcement handle lively shooter conditions and different high-risk situations.
On Might 23, 2025, Consultant Troy Nehls (R-TX) launched the Deescalation Drone Pilot Program Act of 2025 (H.R. 3598), proposing a brand new method to one in all America’s most urgent public security challenges. The invoice would set up a Federal Aviation Administration pilot program to check how small, nonlethal drones geared up with deescalation instruments might help legislation enforcement throughout lively shooter conditions.
What the Invoice Would Do
The laws requires the FAA to determine a pilot program inside two months of enactment, focusing particularly on lively shooter conditions and different high-risk situations the place sustaining distance between legislation enforcement and potential threats might enhance security outcomes.
This system would study a number of key areas: overview of nonlethal weapons that may be hooked up to drones, coaching protocols for legislation enforcement personnel, operational security pointers, and effectiveness evaluation of drones in indoor lively shooter occasions.
Tools specs are fastidiously outlined within the invoice. The drones could be strictly prohibited from carrying any weapons as outlined by current legislation, however might be geared up with varied nonlethal gadgets together with sound distraction emitters, cameras and concentrating on sensors, audio system, and strobe lights.
The invoice reaffirms current prohibitions concerning unmanned plane armed with harmful weapons underneath part 363 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, guaranteeing that the drones stay targeted on deescalation somewhat than enforcement.
Bipartisan Help
The invoice has attracted important bipartisan assist with 17 cosponsors complete – 16 Republicans and 1 Democrat. Republican cosponsors embrace Representatives Brad Finstad (MN), Clay Higgins (LA), Lauren Boebert (CO), Pete Stauber (MN), Barry Moore (AL), Dan Newhouse (WA), Ryan Zinke (MT), Tony Wied (WI), Celeste Maloy (UT), Mike Ezell (MS), Wesley Hunt (TX), John Rutherford (FL), Tim Burchett (TN), Michael Visitor (MS), and Elizabeth Van Duyne (TX).
The lone Democratic cosponsor is Consultant Donald Davis (NC), who has additionally been lively in drone-related nationwide safety laws.
Nehls’ Drone Advocacy File
Consultant Nehls has established himself as a number one voice on drone coverage in Congress, significantly for legislation enforcement purposes. As a former legislation enforcement officer and sheriff, he brings sensible expertise to the legislative course of.
In February 2025, Nehls co-introduced the bipartisan Directing Sources for Officers Navigating Emergencies (DRONE) Act of 2025 with Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA). This laws would enable legislation enforcement companies to make use of federal grants from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Help Grant and Neighborhood Oriented Policing Companies applications to buy and function drones.
Beforehand, in September 2023, Nehls launched the Drone Analysis and Innovation for Legislation Enforcement Act of 2023 (H.R. 5879), which aimed to determine a pilot analysis program inside the FAA for non-lethal deescalation unmanned aerial automobiles. That invoice included necessities for gadgets to be manufactured in the US and targeted on decreasing reliance on Chinese language-manufactured techniques.
As Chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee, Nehls has additionally been actively concerned in overseeing implementation of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, which incorporates provisions for integrating drones and superior air mobility techniques into the nationwide airspace.
Trade Context
The drone trade has seen important development in public security purposes over the previous a number of years. In response to trade specialists, drones have revolutionized some verticals, reminiscent of industrial inspection and mapping, the place they supply important return on funding. Nonetheless, for a lot of large-scale purposes, drones nonetheless require specialised abilities and new software program techniques for efficient deployment.
The give attention to deescalation represents a measured method to integrating drone know-how into legislation enforcement operations. Reasonably than weaponizing drones, the laws emphasizes their potential to enhance officer and public security by offering higher situational consciousness and nonlethal intervention instruments.
Subsequent Steps
The Deescalation Drone Pilot Program Act of 2025 presently awaits motion within the Home Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, the place it was referred upon introduction. Given the bipartisan assist and sensible give attention to public security purposes, the laws seems well-positioned for potential development by means of the legislative course of.
The invoice represents the most recent in a collection of congressional efforts to deal with drone coverage for legislation enforcement purposes, constructing upon earlier legislative work whereas particularly concentrating on lively shooter situations – a rising concern for communities throughout the US.
Learn extra:
Miriam McNabb is the Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, knowledgeable drone providers market, and a fascinated observer of the rising drone trade and the regulatory atmosphere for drones. Miriam has penned over 3,000 articles targeted on the industrial drone house and is a world speaker and acknowledged determine within the trade. Miriam has a level from the College of Chicago and over 20 years of expertise in excessive tech gross sales and advertising for brand spanking new applied sciences.
For drone trade consulting or writing, E-mail Miriam.
TWITTER:@spaldingbarker
Subscribe to DroneLife right here.
