Police and other local law enforcement agencies could for the first time tap into federal grant money to buy and operate unmanned drones under legislation recently introduced in Congress by a Southern California lawmaker.
The plan aims to expand local law enforcement’s use of remotely operated aircraft, often equipped with cameras and other technology, to respond to emergencies, traffic collisions, and crime scenes, and for help with crowd surveillance, among other uses. Starting a few years ago, some Southern California police departments began to incorporate drones in their daily routines, though often in a limited capacity.
Introduced earlier this month by Reps. Lou Correa, D-Santa Ana, and Troy Nehls, R-Texas, The (DRONE) Act of 2025 would authorize funding for unmanned aircraft from the Department of Justice’s Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant and Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) grant programs. Those two programs are considered some of the most accessible federal grants for local law enforcement.
It’s not known how much money might be ultimately be available from the grants. Adding to the uncertainty is how the Trump administration, which has signaled broad plans to curtail federal spending, might views such grants.
Hundreds of police and other law enforcement agencies across the country already use drones for everything from high-speed chases to crowd surveillance, and several and several law enforcement groups support the new source of funding. Others have objected to possible overuse of drones, including civil liberties groups that say the technology, if unchecked, could lead to overly intrusive surveillance, infringing on privacy.
In Orange County, several cities have implemented drone programs, along with the sheriff’s department.
Despite being limited in scope, the technology has produced “phenomenally efficient” results, Orange Coutny Sheriff Don Barnes said. Drones are used for investigations, such as crime mapping, and tactical operations including bomb threats, hostage situations, and barricaded subjects. After traffic collisions, investigators can fly drones over the area and map out a crime scene in minutes.
“It used to take us hours,” Barnes said recently. “Some things have to be done by people. But the more we can do with technology that reduces risk, cost, and liability, we’re going in that direction.”
Correa said that “drones are essentially revolutionizing and changing the way we bring public safety to our constituents,” and believes the technology could not only eliminate the need for dangerous high-speed pursuits but reduce the use of expensive equipment, such as helicopters, for low-priority calls.
The legislation also aims to subsidize the purchase of unmanned aircraft systems from domestic manufacturers, which can be more expensive than overseas technology, according to Correa. Law enforcement’s use of drones purchased from Chinese technology companies like Da Jiang Innovations has raised concerns about potential risks to national security and whether the software could be used to spy on Americans.
The debates have left many agencies “scrambling” over what the best and most affordable domestic alternative could be, often four or five times more expensive than foreign options, said Chula Vista Police Chief Roxana Kennedy.
“The challenge is that there’s no funding available for this, especially on the federal level,” she said. “It’s a super important tool that’s not replacing officers, it’s giving them more information to make better decisions…but there are so many different restrictions and challenges.”
In 2018, the Chula Vista Police Department was the first in the nation to receive FAA approval to integrate drones into national airspace under their pilot program, Drone as First Responder. The drones are deployed to 911 calls and other emergency incidents before the arrival of first responders, to improve situational awareness and reduce the risk of harm for both officers and civilians, according to police.
The legislation has received endorsements from the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, the National Fraternal Order of Police, and the Peace Officers Research Association of California, among others.
While the buy-in from law enforcement is evident, Correa said public concerns over the impact of drones on their privacy is a “legitimate issue” that can be addressed through legislation to limit where drones fly and how data if collected is used.