# 119-s-4309: Deescalation Drone Pilot Program Act of 2026

119-s-4309, Deescalation Drone Pilot Program Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Justice, James C. [R-WV] (R-WV); status introduced (as of 2026-09-10).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4309
- As of: 2026-09-10
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-4309
- Congress: 119
- Title: Deescalation Drone Pilot Program Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-04-15
- Sponsor: Sen. Justice, James C. [R-WV] (R-WV)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-10

## Summary

**Creates a pilot program for nonlethal deescalation drones to help law enforcement respond to active shooter events.** The bill would require the Federal Aviation Administration to design a program that reviews and validates nonlethal equipment, sets training and safety protocols, and studies whether drones can increase safe engagement distance while keeping the existing ban on arming drones with dangerous weapons.

## Provisions PRIA read

- Pilot for nonlethal police drones: mixed, low. If enacted, the bill would require the FAA Administrator to start a pilot program within 2 months to test nonlethal drones for active shooter responses. The pilot would review and validate nonlethal weapons, set training and safety protocols, and assess indoor effectiveness and standoff benefits. T…

## Related bills

- 119-s-2120: Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2025
- 119-s-4952: Protecting American Taxpayers Act
- 119-s-4378: Protecting American Taxpayers Act
- 119-s-5117: Senior Chatbot Protection Act of 2026
- 119-s-3659: SECURE Minerals Act of 2026
- 119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act

## Sources
- [119-s-4309 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/4309)

## Related
- [119-s-2120: Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2120)
- [119-s-4952: Protecting American Taxpayers Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4952)
- [119-s-4378: Protecting American Taxpayers Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4378)
- [119-s-5117: Senior Chatbot Protection Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5117)
- [119-s-3659: SECURE Minerals Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3659)
- [119-s-1748: Kids Online Safety Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1748)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-4309 (as of 2026-09-10).