FBI scrambles to train local cops against rogue drones, tripling capacity

The FBI is dramatically ramping up its counter-drone training for state and local police forces. The agency's National Counter-UAS Training Center aims to teach around 320 law enforcement personnel this year, a more than threefold increase compared to last year's numbers. This push is part of a broader effort to leverage new federal authorities under the SAFER SKIES Act, equipping local agencies to handle drone-related threats.

The program's expansion meets a growing need as drones become more accessible and their misuse more common, from disrupting public events to smuggling contraband. While detection and ground-based response are immediate options for agencies, the FBI's high-demand mitigation training provides the legal and technical 'hands' to actually take drones down. The scale-up signals a major shift in domestic security, moving advanced aerial threat response from a federal-only job to a local police skill.