Five U.S. federal departments have signed a new agreement to coordinate the testing and deployment of counter-drone technologies, establishing a process to address unauthorized drone threats without disrupting civilian aviation.

The Departments of Transportation, Defense, Homeland Security, Energy, and Justice announced the memorandum of understanding on Nov. 9. The agreement calls for greater coordination with the FAA and the FCC as agencies develop systems to detect, track, stop, or take control of unauthorized drones.

The FAA will play a central role in evaluating proposed technologies and determining whether safety protocols and airspace coordination measures are in place, including conducting safety risk assessments and, if needed, implementing temporary airspace restrictions.

Source: MeriTalk