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State aviation and private experts urge statewide counter‑UAS strategy and caution on jamming risks
Summary
Oregon aviation and counter‑UAS experts told the committee that Remote ID provides a 'digital license plate' for many drones, that layered detection approaches are needed, that federal policy now enables state/local mitigation with training, and that the state should wait for DHS/FAA evaluations and develop a statewide strategy before large procurements.
Kenji Sugihara (Oregon Department of Aviation) and Bobby Sakaki (UAS Nexus) briefed the committee on recreational drone incursions, detection technology and the evolving policy environment.
Sakaki described a layered detection model—radar, RF/passive sensors, optics and acoustics—combined with software to classify and track objects, and stressed that distinguishing birds and other false positives is the first challenge. He said Remote ID functions as a digital beacon for many drones but implementation depends on OEM adoption and that the largest drone manufacturer (DJI) has defaults that support Remote ID.
Policy changes in the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act extend mitigation authority to state, local and tribal entities, subject to training and FBI coordination; Sakaki and Sugihara urged caution: counter‑UAS systems are expensive (often millions for a full suite), may create interference with civil aviation or other critical communications, and require careful vetting. Sugihara described potential FEMA grant eligibility and noted a second tranche of grants may be available to all states.
Experts recommended a statewide counter‑UAS strategy led by emergency management and the Department of Aviation, coordinated procurement based on DHS evaluations and careful attention to operational limits (jamming risks, spectrum interference and legal constraints with FAA/FCC). No legislation was enacted during this informational session.
