Do we need FEMA grant funding before we can start a counter-UAS program?

No. The SAFER SKIES Act authority took effect July 1, 2026, independent of FEMA funding. Agencies can build a Tier 1 detection program now using their own budget, and position for FY2027 grant funding to expand or add mitigation capability later.

Can Nine Ten Drones perform drone mitigation for us?

No, and no vendor can. Mitigation authority under the SAFER SKIES Act belongs exclusively to certified law enforcement and correctional personnel trained through the FBI's National Counter-UAS Training Center. We handle assessment, funding support, policy, training, and integration.

Is North Carolina eligible for the FEMA counter-UAS grant right now?

Not yet. The first $250 million (FY2026) went specifically to the 11 states hosting FIFA World Cup 2026 matches plus the National Capital Region; North Carolina was not included. The remaining $250 million opens to all 56 states and territories in FY2027.

What equipment are we allowed to use for detection?

Equipment must come from the federal Authorized Technologies List. We help agencies select and procure from that list rather than general commercial detection hardware that may not meet the rule's requirements.

How long does Tier 2 mitigation certification take?

Currently a two-week residential course through the FBI's National Counter-UAS Training Center, with an abbreviated track for personnel operating only within a correctional facility.

Does this apply to a small municipal police department, or only large agencies?

The rule applies to any state, local, tribal, or territorial law enforcement or correctional agency that wants counter-UAS authority — there is no minimum agency size.

What's the difference between detecting a drone and being allowed to do something about it?

Tier 1 (detection and warning) lets an agency identify, track, and warn a drone operator to land or leave. Tier 2 (mitigation) lets certified personnel disrupt or disable the aircraft, and requires FBI NCUTC certification.

PRIVATE FACILITY AIRSPACE SECURITY

Nine Ten Airspace Awareness

Know what is flying over your site. Nine Ten Airspace Awareness gives private facilities a continuous, documented picture of unmanned aircraft activity overhead — radar to see aircraft whether or not they broadcast, Remote Identification reception to identify the ones that do, cameras to confirm, and acoustic sensing to catch what the others miss. You get alerts on your own terms, a record you can act on, and pattern reporting that tells you whether your airspace is getting busier.

What You Get

Four sensing modalities working together, so one blind spot doesn’t become your blind spot.

01 — Radar

Sees aircraft in your airspace whether or not they broadcast anything — the only modality that catches a drone with its transponder off.

02 — Remote ID Reception

Reads the identification broadcast aircraft are federally required to transmit in public, to identify the ones that do.

03 — Cameras

Visual confirmation of what radar and Remote ID are reporting, so alerts come with a picture, not just a data point.

04 — Acoustic Sensing

Picks up what the others can miss in cluttered or obstructed environments, rounding out the picture.

What We Do Not Do (And Why That Boundary Matters)

We do not mitigate. We do not transmit toward any aircraft. We do not intercept or decode the link between an aircraft and its operator — we read only the identification broadcast that aircraft are federally required to transmit in public. And we do not respond: awareness is not authority, and the decision about what happens next stays with you and with the agency that holds jurisdiction.

We’re direct about this because it’s the same boundary that separates a lawful awareness service from something that requires federal authority to operate. Our role is giving you the documented picture — what happens with that picture is yours to decide.

The Honest Limitation

What Airspace Awareness will not tell you. Identification depends on an aircraft broadcasting Remote Identification as federal rule requires. An operator who has disabled or never fitted it will be detected by radar and may be seen on camera — but will not be identified. We include radar in every tier for exactly that reason, and we would rather you knew before you bought than after an incident.

Who We Serve

Venues

Stadiums, arenas, and event spaces where an unauthorized aircraft overhead is a crowd-safety and liability question.

Utilities

Substations, generation sites, and transmission corridors where unplanned aircraft activity is a critical-infrastructure concern.

Data Centers

Facilities where physical security posture already assumes a sophisticated threat model — airspace is the gap most haven’t closed yet.

Campuses

Corporate and educational campuses with people, buildings, and open airspace all in the same footprint.

Industrial Sites

Manufacturing and processing facilities where unauthorized aircraft raise both safety and IP-security questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you monitor our airspace for us?

For a private facility, yes — that’s exactly what Nine Ten Airspace Awareness does. For a law enforcement or correctional agency, we can’t operate a system on their behalf; federal authority for that has to sit with certified agency personnel. For agencies, see our Counter-UAS Advisory service instead.

Will this identify every drone flying over my site?

No — identification depends on the aircraft broadcasting Remote ID, which federal rule requires but which an operator can disable or never install. An aircraft without it will still be detected by radar and may be visible on camera, but won’t be identified. We’d rather you know that going in than find out during an incident.

Do you intercept, jam, or take control of drones?

No, and we never will. We do not transmit toward any aircraft, and we do not intercept or decode the link between an aircraft and its operator. We read only the identification broadcast aircraft are already required to transmit publicly.

What’s the difference between Airspace Awareness and Counter-UAS Advisory?

Airspace Awareness is for private facilities — an awareness service for private facilities, with no special legal authority required. Counter-UAS Advisory is for public safety and correctional agencies operating under new federal counter-drone authority, where we help build and staff a compliant program rather than operate equipment ourselves.

What happens after you detect an aircraft?

You get an alert on your own terms — email, SMS, or integration with your existing security operations — plus a documented record and pattern reporting over time. What you do next is entirely your call; awareness isn’t authority, and we don’t make that decision for you.