WASHINGTON, D.C. (WVDN) – Recently, Senator Jim Justice introduced the De-escalation Drone Pilot Program Act of 2026 to establish a drone pilot program within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to review the potential use of drones equipped with non-lethal devices for local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies responding to scenarios that present significant risk to human life—e.g., an active shooter or hostage event.
“Our officers are asked to put their lives on the line everyday they go to work. This bill is commonsense and would help out our law enforcement when they respond to some of the most extreme threats. Drones would protect them without ever needing to use deadly force or put themselves directly in the line of fire. We should do everything in our power to protect those that protect us,” said Senator Jim Justice.
BACKGROUND:
- De-escalation drones are a vital tool law enforcement could use to respond to active threats while protecting not only the lives of officers responding to the scene, but also captives, uninvolved individuals, and even the suspected criminal.
- The De-escalation Drone Pilot Program Act of 2026 would narrowly define “non-lethal de-escalation unmanned aircraft” to include only unmanned aircraft equipped with one or more non-lethal weapons, such as a taser.
- The bill would also require the FAA to create a streamlined approval process for SWAT teams to request FAA authorization to operate and deploy these needed devices.
- U.S. Representatives Troy Nehls (R-TX) and Don Davis (D-NC) introduced the companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
- The devices used in the pilot program established by this legislation would be required to be made in the United States.
