The U.S. government will soon have the authority to shoot down private drones considered a threat.
Following a House vote in April, the Senate this week passed the FAA Reauthorization Act, which renews funding for the Federal Aviation Administration until 2023.
It is also aimed at modernizing aviation rules by making commercial flights more comfortable for disabled passengers and cracking down on privately owned drones.
Specifically, section 1602—Protection of certain facilities and assets from unmanned aircraft—authorizes the detection, identification, monitoring, tracking, and takeover of drones “without prior consent, including by means of intercept.”
Officials are empowered to seize and control unmanned aircraft using “reasonable force, if necessary, to disable, damage, or destroy” the device.
The bill is currently being submitted to the President's desk, where it is expected to be signed into law, TechCrunch reported