DEFEND Act

Annual threat reports on foreign drones

This bill would require the Department of Homeland Security to deliver annual threat assessments on malicious unmanned aircraft systems from covered foreign adversaries. The first assessment would be due not later than 270 days after enactment, and DHS would send reports each year for six years. Each assessment would be submitted in classified form with an unclassified public annex posted on DHS's website and followed within seven days by a classified briefing to congressional committees. DHS would work with the Department of Defense, the intelligence community, other agencies, and private counter‑UAS experts, and would include analysis of tactics, smuggling paths, emerging technologies (including AI/autonomy and swarms), CBRN delivery risks, water/container deployment, DHS R&D, and training recommendations for federal, state, local, Tribal, and territorial responders.