WASHINGTON —Amid safety preparations for the 2026 World Cup, the White House Task Force, alongside DRONERESPONDERS and the Commercial Drone Alliance, announced a $500M grant program aimed at helping communities combat illegal drone use, according to a news release.
The C-UAS (Counter-Uncrewed Aircraft Systems) Grant Program was announced at the “Countering the Threat: CUAS Industry and SLTT Grant Forum,” on Nov. 12.
“The $500 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.
The White House Task Force is working with law enforcement, federal agencies, local and state governments, community organizations, and private entities to help ensure safety, security and hospitality at the World Cup events, according to the statement.
The first $250 million will be awarded to areas hosting FIFA World Cup 2026, the Olympics and America 250 national events in the coming years, as well as to the National Capital Region. The remaining money will be distributed in 2027 to “all states and territories with an expanded focus on building national detection and response capacity,” according to the release.
“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,” said Lisa Ellman, chief executive officer of the Commercial Drone Alliance. “The industry was able to share opportunities, ask questions, and connect with law enforcement agencies to bolster efforts to protect communities.”
Other topics addressed at the conference included updates on legalities around CUAS technology use, information on FBI Schoolhouse training opportunities for CUAS operators and discussions on the future of CUAS solutions.
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