Regulatory Alert: FAA Establishes New Policy Aimed at Increasing Enforcement Actions Against Small UAS Operators
April 17, 2026
Today, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) published a new policy aimed at expediting and increasing enforcement actions against certain operators of small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) who violate FAA’s regulations. The policy, known as the Drone Expedited and Targeted Enforcement Response (DETER) Program, will allow a first-time offender committing a minor violation to pay a significantly reduced penalty or serve a reduced suspension period in exchange for admitting liability and quickly resolving the enforcement action.
The DETER Program, which is outlined here, will allow FAA to pursue more enforcement actions against drone operators (using a streamlined, alternative process to the traditional, lengthier enforcement action process) and is part of a broader effort to enhance security around upcoming special events, including the FIFA World Cup matches. Airport operators are encouraged to familiarize appropriate personnel with FAA’s new program, which may be helpful in holding more operators accountable for risks they pose to airport operations.
Background. In June 2025, President Trump issued an executive order, “Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty,” which, among other things, directed a series of federal agencies to take actions to protect the public and critical infrastructure from safety and security threats posed by drones. This included requiring FAA to take appropriate steps to ensure “full enforcement” of applicable civil and criminal laws when a drone operator endangers the public, violates established airspace restrictions, or operates a drone as part of another crime.
FAA’s Policies on Enforcement Actions Against UAS Operators. In response to the June 2025 executive order, FAA has made two major changes to its policies governing when the agency will pursue an enforcement action against a UAS operator:
- Bulletin No. 2026-01: In January, FAA released “Compliance and Enforcement Bulletin No. 2026-01,” which provided that the agency must take enforcement action against all UAS operations that endanger the public, violate established airspace restrictions, or are in furtherance of an element of another crime. The policy signaled that FAA would be more aggressive in taking action against UAS operators (both revocation of certificates and civil penalties). Under the prior policy, FAA would often use a compliance action to informally resolve cases involving UAS operators through education or other means. You can view Bulletin No. 2026-01 here (found at the very end of the PDF).
- DETER Program: The DETER Program is an expedited resolution process and an alternative to a traditional, legal enforcement action. The program allows a small UAS operator, who is a first-time violator, to pay a reduced penalty, serve a reduced suspension period, or take other corrective action in exchange for admitting liability and promptly settling the matter. This program is limited to minor safety violations and does not apply to certain categories of violations, such as drug-related offenses or violating a TFR. Given the large number of UAS operations occurring in the national airspace and limited FAA staff, the agency needed a more streamlined process to address offending operators. Using an expedited action should allow FAA to hold more operators accountable for violations, thereby improving safety and security.
