FEMA Counter-UAS Grant Funding Is Coming: How to Prepare Now
The threat landscape is changing, and security planning needs to account for what is happening above the perimeter as well as on the ground.
Unauthorized drones can create serious security and operational concerns around airports, correctional facilities, utilities, public events, critical infrastructure and other sensitive sites. In response, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) established the Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) Grant Program to help state, local, tribal and territorial governments strengthen their ability to detect, identify, track and monitor unmanned aircraft systems.
The program provides $500 million in federal funding across two fiscal years. The first $250 million was made available for FY 2026, with eligibility focused on 11 states hosting FIFA World Cup events and the National Capital Region. For FY 2027, eligibility expands nationwide, with all 56 State Administrative Agencies eligible to apply for the remaining $250 million, plus any unallocated FY 2026 funding.
The next Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is expected as early as October 2026. For organizations hoping to benefit from this funding, September is an important time to prepare.
Why Organizations Should Start Preparing Before the Grant Opens
The previous C-UAS grant cycle moved quickly. Waiting until a new funding opportunity is announced to begin evaluating risks, identifying technology and developing an implementation strategy can leave organizations trying to make major security decisions under a tight deadline.
There is also more to a competitive C-UAS project than selecting a drone detection system. FEMA's program is designed to strengthen operational capabilities. That means organizations should be able to explain the problem they need to solve, the sites they need to protect, how technology will fit into existing security and public safety operations and how the investment will improve their ability to respond.
Starting that work now can put organizations in a much stronger position when funding becomes available. While the specific requirements for the next funding round will be outlined in the NOFO, organizations can begin laying the groundwork now. The following steps can help turn an identified drone-related risk into a well-defined, implementation-ready C-UAS project.
1. Identify the Operational Need
A strong project starts with a clearly defined security problem.
Where could unauthorized drone activity create a risk? Are there sensitive facilities, public gatherings, correctional environments or critical infrastructure within your jurisdiction? What capabilities does your organization currently have to detect or assess drone activity, and where are the gaps?
Rather than beginning with a specific piece of equipment, begin with the threat and the operational outcome the organization needs to achieve.
This creates the foundation for determining what technology, coverage and response processes may be appropriate.
2. Prioritize the Sites That Need Protection
Not every location carries the same level of risk. Organizations should identify and prioritize the facilities, events and infrastructure where drone activity could have the greatest impact.
Depending on the jurisdiction, these may include:
Airports and transportation infrastructure
Correctional facilities
Utilities and water systems
Stadiums and major event venues
Emergency operations and public safety facilities
Other critical infrastructure and sensitive locations
Conducting an aerial risk assessment can help establish where coverage is most important and give the organization a clearer basis for its funding request.
3. Think Beyond the Equipment
One of the most important considerations for organizations preparing for C-UAS funding is that technology alone does not create an operational capability.
Organizations should consider the broader Planning, Organization, Equipment, Training and Exercises (POETE) framework when developing their approach.
For example, detecting a drone is only one part of the process. Teams also need to know who receives an alert, how the threat is evaluated, when law enforcement or other agencies become involved, how the incident is documented and what happens next.
Training and exercises can then help personnel understand those procedures and test whether they work as intended.
The result is a C-UAS strategy built around operational readiness rather than a standalone technology purchase.
4. Plan for Integration With Existing Security Operations
Drone detection should not become another isolated security system that personnel have to monitor separately.
A stronger approach considers how aerial threat information can support the systems and workflows an organization already uses. Depending on the environment, that could include video surveillance, real-time crime centers (RTCCs), emergency operations centers (EOCs), incident command processes, CAD, GIS or other public safety and security platforms.
An integrated approach can help turn a drone detection alert into useful information that security personnel and first responders can act on.
This is also where working with an experienced security integrator can be particularly valuable. The question is not simply, “Which drone detection product should we buy?” It is, “How do we build a system that works within our existing security environment?”
5. Understand the Technology Options
C-UAS detection is not a one-size-fits-all technology.
Depending on the environment and identified risk, a system may incorporate technologies such as Remote ID detection, radio frequency (RF) detection, radar, visual cameras and multi-sensor software.
A layered architecture also allows organizations to design coverage around their actual environment instead of forcing every facility into the same configuration.
6. Build a Clear Response Plan
Detection is only valuable when an organization knows what to do with the information.
Before deployment, teams should establish clear procedures for handling drone activity. Who receives the alert? Who determines whether the aircraft presents a threat? Which internal or external teams need to be notified? How is information shared with law enforcement? How is the incident recorded?
Organizations should also consider how C-UAS procedures fit into existing emergency operations plans, incident command structures and information-sharing protocols.
Building these workflows before implementation can make the technology more useful from day one while demonstrating that the proposed investment supports a broader operational capability.
7. Address Legal Requirements Early
Counter-UAS technology operates within a complex legal environment, making it important to distinguish between detection and mitigation.
Technologies that detect, identify, track or monitor drones are treated differently under federal law from technologies intended to disrupt, disable or take control of an aircraft. Certain mitigation capabilities remain subject to significant federal restrictions and authorization requirements.
Organizations should involve appropriate legal counsel and confirm applicable federal, state and local requirements before acquiring or deploying C-UAS technology. A funding strategy should focus on capabilities the organization can lawfully implement and operate rather than assuming every counter-drone technology is available to every agency.
8. Define How Success Will Be Measured
A strong funding request should also explain what the investment is expected to accomplish.
Potential performance measures could include the number of priority sites covered, personnel trained, systems deployed, drone incidents detected and reviewed, investigations supported, exercises completed or improvements identified through after-action reviews.
Establishing measurable outcomes helps demonstrate that the proposed project is tied to a defined capability improvement rather than simply the acquisition of new equipment.
Why TWG Security is a Valuable Resource for C-UAS Planning
Preparing for C-UAS funding requires organizations to connect several pieces: risk, technology, integration, implementation and long-term operation.
That is where TWG Security can help.
As a security integrator serving organizations throughout Eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey, TWG Security can help organizations evaluate how drone detection and airspace awareness fit within their broader security environment. Rather than treating C-UAS detection as a standalone system, TWG can help determine how it works alongside existing video surveillance, analytics, access control, communications and other security infrastructure.
As a certified AirSight partner, TWG Security can also help organizations evaluate and implement layered drone detection capabilities based on the risks, coverage requirements and existing infrastructure of a particular site.
That gives organizations a resource for moving from an identified aerial security risk to a practical, integrated detection and response strategy.
The Time to Prepare Is Now
The FY 2027 C-UAS funding round represents a significant opportunity for public safety agencies and jurisdictions across the country to strengthen their ability to identify and respond to unauthorized drone activity.
But the first step should happen before the application window opens.
Organizations can use the weeks ahead to identify priority sites, document security gaps, assess their current infrastructure, engage their State Administrative Agency and begin defining the technology, integration, training and operational requirements of a potential project.
Preparing for the upcoming FEMA C-UAS funding opportunity? Talk to TWG Security about your current security environment, drone detection needs and the steps you can take now to build a stronger C-UAS strategy.