Experts urge faster deployment of counter‑drone systems and clearer mitigation authority ahead of major events
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Summary
A CEO of a counter‑drone firm told the Homeland Security subcommittee that ‘dark drones’ and other evolving threats require deployment of detection and low‑collateral mitigation systems at scale, plus clearer authorities for state and local law enforcement to act.
John Gruen, chief executive officer of Fordham Technologies, told the subcommittee that unauthorized drone incidents and a new class of “dark drones” — devices designed to evade detection by not emitting radio frequency signals — pose a growing threat to major events, airports and critical infrastructure.
Gruen said his company’s AI-enabled sensors and interceptor drones, which capture rogue drones with an aerial net and tow them to secure locations for forensics, have been used at prior global sporting events and on U.S. military sites. He urged federal and local authorities to begin deploying counter‑drone systems roughly 12 months before an event to allow for delivery, site analysis and training. “With the 2026 World Cup just over a year away, federal agencies must be given the tools and authorities they need and local law enforcement must be empowered to respond to drone threats quickly and effectively,” Gruen said.
Witnesses and members discussed recent domestic incidents in which drone activity disrupted flights and public events. Gruen and members told the panel that attribution of operators is often unclear, and that threats range from small consumer devices to larger platforms and coordinated multi‑drone incursions. The witness recommended a centralized, streamlined process for detection and mitigation and cited bipartisan legislation (the transcript referenced H.R. 8610 from the prior Congress) as a model the committee should advance.
Members asked whether local and state law enforcement currently have mitigation authority; Gruen said they do not generally have persistent authority to remove or disable drones and that mitigation authorities are spread across agencies and often time-limited. He recommended delegating appropriate mitigation authority to properly trained state and local responders for events that will strain federal capacity.
The subcommittee played a video demonstration of net‑capture interceptors and discussed low‑collateral response options. No formal votes or policy enactments occurred during the hearing; members requested written follow-ups from witnesses.