Police can now use federal funding to purchase drones

Local law enforcement agencies have more access to federal funding sources for the purchase of drone technology with a provision included in the massive defense bill recently signed by President Donald Trump.

The purchase of unmanned aircraft systems had previously been excluded from certain federal funding. But bipartisan legislation introduced earlier this year by Reps. Lou Correa (D-CA) and Troy Nehls (R-Texas) changing that was included in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2025.

“Drones continue to play an ever-growing role in protecting our communities and responding to emergencies in a safer manner,” Correa said in a statement. “By continuing to unlock their potential, we can save taxpayers millions and make our streets safer. It’s a win-win.”

With the Directing Resources for Officers Navigating Emergencies (DRONE) Act of 2025, police agencies can tap into funding from two main federal grants — the Department of Justice’s Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant and the Community Oriented Policing Services, or C.O.P.S., program to purchase drones.

While it’s unclear how much funding will ultimately be available, the change could broaden the number of departments able to launch or expand drone programs by opening up funding that otherwise wouldn’t have been accessible.

Not everyone is sold on the legislation, with Bulmaro Vicente, policy director for CHISPA, a community Latino advocacy organization in Orange County, calling it a potentially “dangerous expansion of police surveillance with little accountability.”

Vicente added that allowing federal funds to flow into police drone programs could “accelerate the normalization of mass, suspicionless surveillance, especially in low-income communities and communities of color.”

He argued that drones “don’t address the root causes of harm,” but instead “deepen mistrust and erode civil liberties.”

Correa previously said public concerns over privacy is a “legitimate issue” that can be addressed through legislation to limit where drones fly and if data is collected, how it could be used.

In order to be considered, eligible drones must be covered under the American Drone Security Act, meaning only domestic manufacturers of unmanned aircraft would qualify for purchase. Officials say the legislation will help subsidize domestic purchases, which can cost two or three times more than foreign-made alternatives.

The bill was backed by the Fraternal Order of Police, Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association and Peace Officers Research Association of California, among others. And more locally, Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes, whose department launched its own unmanned aircraft system program in 2019. 

Orange County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Gerard McCann said the agency will consider all sources of federal funding to enhance current drone infrastructure, particularly in regard to counter-drone technology. The department’s program is already integrated in multiple parts of department operations, he added, including post-incident crime scene preservation and documentation, bomb squad missions, traffic collision investigations, and search and rescue missions.

“Hardworking taxpayers on Main Street deserve a community that is safe and secure, and their children deserve safe communities to grow and thrive in,” Correa said. “And giving our public safety officers the tools they need to protect and defend the communities they swore an oath to serve is how we make that safer future a reality.”