While the agency’s hurricane-piercing airplanes are already on track to be replaced, the bill would authorize $2.5 billion to expand the size of a new fleet.

As hurricane season begins, the weather agency is seeing promise in drones and other emerging plane-deployed technologies.

The Department of Homeland Security awards unmanned aircraft systems contracts, while the Federal Communications Commission seeks UAS licensing and spectrum info.

The Department of Transportation component will use stakeholder responses to shape the FAA’s operational evaluations and standard-setting as unmanned aircraft systems proliferate.

With just over 100 days before festivities begin, stakeholders say they are facing interoperability challenges, tool sprawl and resource constraints.

The agency is extending its comment period and seeking additional insights on aircraft location-tracking devices, detection technologies and safety standards.

The new entity is dedicated to “rapidly procuring and deploying” drone and counter-drone technologies, according to the agency’s announcement Monday.

In lieu of congressional action, U.S. officials are planning to train and deputize state and local partners to address authority gaps for counter unmanned aircraft systems.

FBI, DOJ and CBP officials ask House lawmakers to give state and local authorities coverage permissions for unmanned aircraft systems.

UAS experts warn that the U.S.'s regulatory regime could be stifling innovation.