Federal and local authorities say that drones
have also been used to smuggle contraband,
including cell phones and drugs, into prisons.
National security officials have also found the
use of drones in last November’s unsuccessful
assassination attempt against Iraqi Prime
Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi and an August
2018 attack on Venezuelan President Nicholas
Maduro “quite troubling,” according to a senior
administration official who briefed reporters on
the condition of anonymity ahead of Monday’s
formal announcement.
The counter-drone plan calls for establishing
a mechanism to coordinate research,
development, testing, and evaluation of
detection and mitigation technology across
the federal government.
The White House says it also wants to work
with Congress to enact a criminal statute that
sets standards for legal and illegal uses of
drones, and bolster cooperation with other
countries on counter-drone technologies.