DRONE Act of 2025

This legislation, titled the Directing Resources for Officers Navigating Emergencies Act of 2025 or the DRONE Act of 2025 , aims to expand the permissible uses of certain federal grant funds. Its primary purpose is to authorize the use of Department of Justice grants for the acquisition and operation of unmanned aircraft systems to enhance public safety initiatives. The bill specifically amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to achieve this. It modifies both Byrne Grants (Section 501(a)(1)) and COPS Grants (Section 1701(b)) to explicitly include "programs to purchase and operate unmanned aircraft systems" as an allowable expenditure. This change will enable law enforcement agencies to leverage these federal resources for drone technology, supporting various public safety operations.