By: Jason Day, AG Ambassador – Public Safety
As we now venture into 2026, public safety unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) have already made significant headway at the intersection of policy, technology and operational necessity. What began as experimental deployments in law enforcement and fire response has matured into a critical capability for agencies across the United States and abroad. Yet this year will not simply be about incremental growth. It will be defined by sweeping legislative changes, global event planning, new service models and a decisive shift in fleet composition. Together, these forces will reshape how drones are integrated into public safety missions and take aerial security and operational excellence to an entirely new level.
The SAFER SKIES Act and Counter‑UAS Authority
For years, public safety agencies have faced a paradox. While drones offered unprecedented situational awareness, they also introduced serious risks when operated recklessly or maliciously. Unauthorized flights near airports, stadiums, prisons and government facilities created vulnerabilities that local responders were largely powerless to address because federal law reserved most counter‑UAS (C-UAS) authority to a handful of federal agencies. The SAFER SKIES Act of 2025, enacted as Title LXXXVI of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2026, begins to close that gap.
The Act establishes a federal framework that, for the first time, will allow certain state, local, Tribal, and territorial (SLTT) law‑enforcement and correctional agencies to be authorized to detect, track, and in some cases mitigate drones that pose a “credible threat” to designated covered facilities and mass‑gathering events. This authority is tightly conditioned. DHS and DOJ must first issue implementing regulations, stand up a national training and certification program and restrict use to approved counter‑UAS systems under strict reporting, oversight and civil‑liberties protections.
In 2026, as those regulations and the “schoolhouse” training pipeline come online, select public safety organizations are expected to begin deploying counter‑UAS technologies such as radar, radio frequency (RF) detection and non‑kinetic mitigation tools under standardized protocols at critical infrastructure sites and high‑risk events. Training curricula will incorporate C‑UAS modules so that officers and emergency managers understand both the technical capabilities of approved systems and the legal limits on when and how they can be used.
The ripple effects will be significant. Agencies will need to balance enhanced security with civil liberties to ensure that detection, data retention and mitigation practices comply with constitutional protections and privacy expectations. Procurement strategies will increasingly favor integrated platforms that fuse UAS operations with C‑UAS detection and response to enable unified “aerial security” concepts of operation (CONOPS) for stadiums, downtown cores and critical infrastructure corridors.
The SAFER SKIES Act helps mark the transition from a world where local agencies passively monitored the airspace and called federal partners for help, to one in which trained, regulated public safety agencies can actively manage low‑altitude threats in defined, high‑risk environments.
FIFA World Cup 2026 and the UAS Testbed
Few events rival the scale and complexity of the FIFA World Cup. This year, matches will be hosted across North America, drawing millions of fans to stadiums in the United States, Canada and Mexico. For public safety agencies, the tournament represents both a challenge and an opportunity: how to secure vast crowds, manage urban mobility and respond to emergencies in real time. Drones will be central to these efforts.
Agencies have already started planning layered aerial strategies that combine surveillance, traffic monitoring and rapid response. UAS will provide overhead views of stadium perimeters, transit hubs, and fan zones so that command centers can detect anomalies before they escalate. Fire departments may deploy drones equipped with thermal sensors to monitor crowd density and identify heat-related medical risks. Law enforcement teams will integrate drones into tactical units for overwatch during high-risk interventions.
Preparation for this challenge began last year. In November 2025, DRONERESPONDERS and the Commercial Drone Alliance (CDA), working alongside the White House Task Force FIFA 2026, hosted an event designed to prepare public safety agencies for the unique demands of the tournament. The gathering brought together federal, state and local stakeholders to discuss airspace security, C-UAS coordination and operational playbooks for large-scale events. It served as both a training opportunity and a collaborative forum to prepare agencies with shared strategies and tested frameworks. The lessons learned will extend far beyond FIFA.
Expect public safety agencies to emerge from the tournament with refined playbooks for large-scale event security. This will influence how drones are deployed at concerts, political rallies and disaster response operations in the years ahead.
The Rise of Drone-as-a-Service
While legislative and event-driven changes dominate headlines, another transformation has quietly reshaped public safety UAS: the expansion of drone-as-a-service (DaaS) models. Traditionally, agencies purchased and maintained their own fleets, which meant bearing the costs of acquisition, training and upkeep. But as technology cycles accelerated, many found themselves struggling to keep pace. DaaS offers a solution. (See prior AG coverage of DaaS for public safety).
Under this model, agencies subscribe to services that provide aircraft, pilots and data management on demand. Instead of investing heavily in hardware, they pay for access to capabilities. Now DaaS providers are expected to offer specialized packages for law enforcement, fire response and disaster recovery. These packages will include secure data pipelines, compliance features and rapid scaling options. For smaller agencies, DaaS will democratize access to advanced drone technology, allowing them to deploy capabilities that would otherwise be cost-prohibitive.
The implications are profound. Partnerships between public safety organizations and private industry will deepen, creating ecosystems in which innovation flows more rapidly. Agencies will need to develop new oversight mechanisms to ensure that service providers meet operational and ethical standards. In many ways, DaaS represents the “cloudification” of drone operations, flexible, scalable, and responsive to mission needs.
Expansion of Advanced Air Mobility
Beyond drones, 2026 will also mark the rise of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) technologies. Air taxis are expected to begin limited commercial operations in select metropolitan areas, while drone deliveries continue to expand into mainstream logistics. These developments promise convenience and efficiency for communities, but they also introduce new complexities for public safety.
Agencies must remain vigilant in monitoring increasingly crowded airspace. The coexistence of UAS in general, air taxis and delivery drones will require new protocols for deconfliction, incident response and public communication. Public safety responders must be prepared to address emergencies involving AAM platforms, whether mechanical failures, mid-air collisions or disruptions to critical infrastructure.
Training will be essential. Responders must understand the unique characteristics of AAM technologies, from battery systems to passenger safety features. Funding will also be critical to ensure agencies have access to the tools, information and personnel needed to manage this evolving environment. Partnerships with regulators, industry and local governments will help create shared frameworks for safety and accountability. Vigilance, preparation and investment will be the keys to ensuring that innovation in the skies translates into resilience on the ground.
Transitioning the Fleet from Chinese-Manufactured Aircraft
Perhaps the most visible change in 2026 will be the composition of public safety fleets. For years, Chinese-manufactured drones dominated the market because they offered both affordability and excellent performance. Yet concerns over data security and supply chain integrity have prompted federal guidance discouraging reliance on these platforms. Public safety agencies are now actively transitioning to aircraft produced by domestic and allied manufacturers.
This transition presents numerous challenges. Agencies must retrain pilots, reconfigure workflows and adapt to new ecosystems of software and hardware. Some legacy aircraft will remain in service for non-sensitive missions, but frontline deployments will increasingly rely on secure, ruggedized platforms designed specifically for public safety. These aircraft will need to integrate seamlessly with emergency management systems to provide real-time data to command centers. They must be designed for durability, capable of operating in harsh environments from wildfire zones to hurricane-stricken coastlines. The transition away from Chinese-manufactured drones thus represents not just a security measure but an opportunity to align technology with mission-specific needs.
Building the Next Generation of Public Safety UAS Leaders
As 2026 unfolds, the story of public safety UAS will not only be about technology or legislation, but also about people. As the sector approaches its 10th real year of operational use, a generational shift comes with that milestone. Many of the pioneers who built the first public safety drone programs, those who navigated early regulatory hurdles, established training standards and proved the value of UAS in emergencies have transitioned out of public service. Some are retiring after decades of contribution, while others are moving into the private sector to shape industry innovation from a different vantage point.
This transition will likely create some turbulence for public safety. The departure of experienced leaders risks leaving gaps in institutional knowledge, operational continuity and program stability. Yet it also opens the door for new leaders to emerge, individuals who bring fresh perspectives, technological fluency and a readiness to adapt to evolving mission requirements.
For agencies, the challenge will be to intentionally develop these new leaders. Programs cannot afford to collapse when key personnel leave. Succession planning, mentorship and structured professional development remain essential to ensure continuity. Agencies must identify rising talent within their ranks, provide opportunities for them to lead missions and equip them with the skills to manage entire programs, not just aircraft.
In 2026, agencies that invest in leadership pipelines will be best positioned to thrive. They will not only sustain their programs through transitions, they will also ensure that drones remain embedded as indispensable tools of public safety. The emergence of new leaders will mark the next chapter in UAS history, one defined by resilience, innovation and the ability to carry forward the legacy of those who built the foundation.
Looking Forward To This Pivotal New Year
Taken together, these developments suggest that 2026 will be a pivotal year for public safety UAS. The SAFER SKIES Act will redefine legal authority, FIFA planning will showcase operational capabilities, DaaS will reshape procurement, fleet transitions will strengthen security and leadership changes will expand operations.
The broader thread involves transition and opportunity. Public safety agencies continue moving from experimentation to maturity and from fragmented deployments to integrated ecosystems. They align technology with mission needs so that drones serve not just as eyes in the sky, but as instruments of resilience, security and, ultimately, public trust.
As agencies embrace this bright future, they will surely face challenges, budget constraints, privacy debates and the complexities of interoperability. Nevertheless, drones are here to stay…and 2026 will definitely mark the moment when public safety UAS fully come of age.