New DHS Counter‑UAS Planning Guidance Now Available for SLTT First Responders

As many agencies across the country prepare for major upcoming events—including the FIFA World Cup and America250—counter‑UAS planning has become an increasingly important focus area. Recently, DHS has been working closely with eight of the eleven World Cup host cities to evaluate sensor locations, conduct site surveys, and refine operational plans.

During these efforts, DHS teams have had extensive conversations with state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) partners about a common challenge: the need for a practical, easy‑to‑use C‑UAS Equipment Placement Guidance Tool that agencies can apply independently in their own planning cycles.

To support that need, DHS has shared a new resource with us: C‑UAS Equipment Planning Field Guidance for State and Local First Responders.

Field Guidance for State and Local First Responders_v1.pdf

Download PDF • 453KB

This document represents an initial step toward giving SLTT agencies a generalized framework for thinking through sensor placement, operational considerations, and planning workflows. While it is not a substitute for specialized software tools—such as line‑of‑sight modeling, RF analysis, or sensor coverage mapping—it provides a solid foundation for agencies looking to strengthen or standardize their planning processes.

How You Can Support This Effort

DHS is asking SLTT partners to:

• Review the guidance tool

• Try applying it to your own planning efforts—whether for the World Cup, America250, or other relevant operations

• Share your feedback so the tool can continue to evolve

The goal is to refine and expand resources that genuinely meet the needs of first responders, and your real‑world input is essential to that process.

DHS has also acknowledged the broader need for additional SLTT‑focused software tools beyond those developed internally by NUSTL. While those capabilities continue to evolve, this new guidance document is intended to serve as a practical starting point and a useful addition to the toolkit for law enforcement C‑UAS operations.

📌 Note: DHS has indicated that this guidance will be publicly available on the NUSTL website within the next month or two under the Resources > Counter‑Unmanned Aircraft Systems section.