The United States Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is to use small uncrewed aerial systems (sUAS) for a number of airport security operations. TSA’s Law Enforcement/Federal Air Marshal Service (LE/FAMS) fly the fleet of UAS and are required to earn a certification before they take part in operations.
Following a three-day inaugural training at a decommissioned stadium in Las Vegas, 18 Federal Air Marshals (FAMs) earned the certifications needed to fly TSA’s fleet of Skydio X10 drones. LE/FAMS partnered with the Las Vegas Metro Police Department for the opening sUAS training certification. Further training is planned for FAMs from the Midwest and East Coast later this year.
Assistant Supervisory Air Marshal in Charge Ty Fletcher said the use of sUAS enables FAMs to assess airport vulnerabilities more efficiently and cost effectively. “Airports had been stuck only conducting tabletop UAS response exercises, but now LE/FAMS can support TSA Security Operations with the next step in airport UAS response by actually launching a drone as part of a more robust planning exercise,” Fletcher noted. “The certified pilots can begin immediately flying sUAS in support of their respective duties to include airport perimeters assessments, critical infrastructure vulnerability analysis and airport UAS response exercises.”
LE/FAMS is coordinating with the Federal Aviation Administration and local stakeholders to integrate TSA’s sUAS capabilities into the agency’s upcoming airport assessments.
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Transportation Security Administration
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