What are counter-drone systems (C-UAS)?
Counter-drone systems are the sensors and weapons used to detect, track and stop hostile or unauthorized drones. Known as C-UAS, for counter-unmanned aircraft systems, they range from handheld jammers to lasers and interceptor missiles.
Also known as: C-UAS, Counter-UAS, Anti-drone systems
Researched and fact-checked by AI, with no human review. 6 sources listed below. How we verify
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How it works
A counter-drone system has two jobs: find the drone, then stop it. A 2023 Congressional Research Service (CRS) overview describes three main ways to detect one:
- electro-optical, infrared or acoustic sensors that pick up its appearance, heat or sound
- radar
- radio-frequency sensors that spot its control signals
Sensors and radar can miss small drones, CRS says, so methods are often layered.
Stopping the drone is called mitigation or defeat. Jammers disrupt the link between drone and operator. They range from portable units of 5 to 10 pounds to equipment of several hundred pounds on vehicles or at fixed sites. CRS also lists guns, nets, traditional air defense systems and directed energy, meaning lasers and high-powered microwaves.
Why it matters
Drones are available to states, non-state groups and individuals, and traditional air defenses cannot detect many smaller ones, the overview says. A drone strike on a U.S. base in Jordan on January 28, 2024 killed three service members and injured more than 40, according to a March 2025 CRS report. Cost is a recurring issue. The report says Army officials regard the Coyote interceptor as effective but not necessarily cost-effective against cheap drones. Inside the United States, jamming, spoofing or destroying a drone can conflict with federal laws on communications interference, computer hacking and damage to aircraft, CRS notes. So agencies need specific authority from Congress.
Where things stand in 2026
The Pentagon's Joint Interagency Task Force 401 said on April 7, 2026 that it had committed more than $600 million to counter-drone capabilities. It said that included $100 million for mobile systems to protect 2026 FIFA World Cup stadiums and fan zones. The task force, stood up in August 2025, announced awards on September 29, 2026 that SIGNAL Magazine reported as worth $7 billion. DefenseScoop reported that the 10 awards had a combined ceiling of about $4.15 billion. It said officials expected the wider contracting vehicle to reach $7 billion by the end of October, and that $50 million had been obligated.
The SAFER SKIES Act, part of the fiscal 2026 defense authorization law, extended counter-drone powers to state, local, tribal and territorial law enforcement and correctional agencies. They must first complete federal training and certification under a July 2026 interim rule. As of July 1, 2026, the FBI's national training center had trained 61 officers from 46 agencies, CRS reported.
Sources
- Department of Defense Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems, Congressional Research Service
- Department of Defense Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems: Background and Issues for Congress, Congressional Research Service
- Regulating State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Law Enforcement Actions to Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS), Congressional Research Service
- Joint Task Force commits more than $600 million to procure new counter-UAS capability, U.S. Department of War
- 1-Year-Old JIATF 401 Awards $7 Billion Counter-Drone Contract, AFCEA International (SIGNAL Magazine)
- Pentagon task force, Army announce billions in counter-drone tech awards, DefenseScoop
