On November 12 the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026 co-hosted the “Countering the Threat: CUAS Industry and SLTT Grant Forum,” alongside DRONERESPONDERS and the Commercial Drone Alliance. “Federal, state, and local stakeholders, as well as industry innovators, came together to discuss the future of Counter-Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (CUAS) operations and their critical role in ensuring the safety and security of large-scale events, such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup,” according to a press statement from the two organisations.
“The White House Task Force (WHTF) is actively mobilizing federal agencies, state and local governments, non-governmental organizations, private-sector entities, and community partners in all 11 World Cup Host Cities across the United States….The C-UAS Grant Program will provide USD500 million to communities across the country over two fiscal years. States can use this funding to aggressively combat the unlawful use of unmanned aircraft systems (also known as “drones”) that endanger the safety, security, and lives of the American people. In FY 2026, DHS will award USD250 million to jurisdictions that will host the FIFA World Cup 2026, the Olympics, America 250 national events, and the National Capital Region. The remaining USD250 million will be distributed in FY 2027 to all states and territories with an expanded focus on building national detection and response capacity.”
“The USD500 million in funding from the One Big Beautiful Bill will help ensure that all eleven host cities are fully prepared and connected in their opportunity to protect their stadiums and cities during the tournament and thereafter,” said Andrew Giuliani, Executive Director of the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Lisa Ellman, Chief Executive Officer of the Commercial Drone Alliance, stated, “The CUAS Industry and SLTT Grant Forum brought together all of the critical stakeholders, from federal to local governments and industry to law enforcement agencies, to bolster our critical collective efforts to enhance the security of our airspace, particularly around high-profile mass gathering events. The industry was able to share opportunities, ask questions, and connect with law enforcement agencies to bolster efforts to protect communities.”
Chief Charles Werner (Ret.), Director of the DRONERESPONDERS Public Safety Alliance, added, “The CUAS Industry and SLTT Grant Forum, co-hosted by the WHTF, DRONERESPONDERS, and the Commercial Drone Alliance, coordinated the sharing of critical information on the CUAS grants available to state, local, territorial, and tribal law enforcement agencies to protect communities and citizens at major events from drone incursions. Law enforcement agencies were able to connect with the federal government and industry while learning how best to access the grants for the purpose of protecting their jurisdictions.”
For more information
www.commercialdronealliance.org.
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