S. 4309 — Deescalation Drone Pilot Program Act of 2026

This section establishes a pilot program for nonlethal deescalation unmanned aircraft (i.e., drones equipped solely with nonlethal weapons such as intense sound emitters or strobe lights) to assist Federal, State, local, or Tribal law enforcement responding to active shooter events (i.e., incidents involving unlawful killing or attempted killing with firearms or explosives posing imminent threat to human life). The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator must (1) reaffirm the existing prohibition on arming drones with dangerous weapons; (2) establish the pilot program not later than 2 months after enactment, addressing validation of nonlethal weapons, training and safety protocols, and efficacy assessments (including for indoor events and increased officer standoff distance), in partnership with unmanned aircraft system test ranges and law enforcement; (3) enter interagency agreements as needed and consult stakeholders; and (4) submit a report to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure not later than 3 months after the pilot concludes, including a proposed approval process for law enforcement operations. Not later than 60 days after the report, the Administrator must initiate rulemaking to authorize law enforcement operation of such drones during active shooter events and manufacturer testing or demonstrations. Drones used in the pilot must be manufactured in the United States, per Federal Trade Commission standards. The section also makes a conforming amendment to the chapter analysis for 49 U.S.C. Ch. 448.