Congressman Patronis recently introduced House Resolution 9229, the Seaport Security Act of 2026, to strengthen protections for America’s port and maritime infrastructure against the growing threat posed by unauthorized unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) flights, commonly referred to as drones. We support this legislation that establishes a framework to help seaports deter and respond to unsafe or malicious drone flights while preserving authorized commercial, governmental, and emergency UAS operations.
Under the legislation, controlled or restricted low-altitude airspace (under 400 feet) will be established over critical seaport areas, while enhanced UAS detection and mitigation capabilities will be coordinated through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). With the authorized layered UAS detection and mitigation capabilities seaports are afforded protections to safeguard critical port infrastructure and operations from the threat of unauthorized drone flights.
Managing unauthorized drone activity has been a growing and serious concern to seaports that must operate safely, securely, and efficiently to meet the needs of the communities and industries each port serves. At Port Canaveral alone, more than 500 drone incursions were recorded in 2025, including unauthorized flights over nationally strategic aerospace and military operations and cruise terminals serving up to 60,000 passengers daily.
America’s seaports are critical to the Nation’s economy, supply chain resilience, passenger transportation, and national defense. Current Federal authorities governing drone activity around maritime facilities are fragmented and do not provide ports with a clear, uniform framework to address unauthorized UAS operations. We believe this legislation is an important step towards addressing this broad issue threatening American ports.
For more information about the Seaport Security Act of 2026, please visit: H.R.9229 – 119th Congress (2025-2026).
Robert Harvey and Laura DiBella are Commissioners with the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission. The thoughts and comments expressed herein are their own and do not necessarily represent the position of the Commission.