FBI Trainees Graduate From Counter-Drone Academy

The National Counter-Unmanned Training Center (NCUTC) opened last year and marks the first-of-its-kind program that trains state and local law enforcement partners to combat drones.

Rachel Acenas

Published: 5/18/2026, 5:48:04 PM EDT

FBI Trainees Graduate From Counter-Drone Academy — The seal of the FBI hangs in the Flag Room at the bureau's headquarters in Washington on March 9, 2007. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The FBI over the weekend celebrated the latest graduating class of trainees from its new counter-drone training program in Huntsville, Alabama.

The National Counter-Unmanned Training Center (NCUTC) opened last year and marks the first-of-its-kind program that trains state and local law enforcement partners to combat drones, or unmanned aircraft system (UAS) threats.

“This weekend our latest class graduated - huge moment for this program and will pay major dividends in the FBI’s lead security role for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, 2028 Summer Olympics, America 250 events and more,” FBI Director Kash Patel wrote on X.

The facility is part of a broader federal push to address the rapid growth of drone-related security risks, especially around major events and critical infrastructure.

The NCUTU has been modeled after the FBI’s Hazardous Devices School. Located at Redstone Arsenal, the training facility utilizes the area's expertise in defense, space, and cybersecurity.

Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) commended the graduates on gaining critical expertise, particularly ahead of major national security events.

“Grateful for the support from the Trump Administration in advancing our national security by supporting this program,” Britt wrote on X. “Today, I’m proud to congratulate the graduates from the NCUTC in Huntsville. Your work is more important now than ever.”

The establishment of the facility aligns with President Donald Trump’s executive order from June 2025, dubbed “Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty,” which directed the creation of a facility.

Trump’s order also established a Federal Task Force to strengthen America’s airspace security.

Army Brig. Gen. Matt Ross, joint task force commander, cited the growing threat from small UAS during an interagency summit in November 2025.

"Unmanned systems are a defining threat for our time, and I say that because they're prolific, they're evolving quickly, and they're no longer confined to combat," Ross said in November 2025 during a planning summit. "The [changing landscape] of drones is putting exquisite surveillance and precision strike capability into the hands of individuals and small groups that used to be reserved for our state adversaries."

U.S. Northern Command and Joint Task Force Southern Border personnel have reported some 3,000 drone incursions over the border and have seen over 60,000 drones just south of the border looking into the U.S., Ross said at the time.