Overview
- The Department of Homeland Security announced $115 million to acquire and deploy counter-drone technologies for major 2026 events.
- The department created a rapid acquisition office to quickly buy and field systems under the new funding.
- Eleven U.S. cities will host World Cup matches with more than a million visitors expected, increasing demands on venue airspace security.
- FEMA recently granted $250 million to 11 host states to purchase counter-drone equipment, aligning state and federal efforts.
- DHS cited growing criminal threats, including drug cartels’ use of drones and cyber tactics, and recent U.S. incidents, while not specifying which systems will be deployed.