Mullin Urges Cheaper Counter-Drone Technology

The Homeland Security secretary called for affordable counter-drone systems to protect more than military and federal sites.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Terrorism

Isometric editorial illustration of a trailer-mounted counter-drone antenna array in an open field with a small drone hovering overhead, in muted oxblood, teal, and mustard. — Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin urged industry on November 9 to develop cheaper counter-drone systems that protect more than military and federal sites. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should local police and public venues get more authority and funding to stop drones?

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin called for more affordable and effective counter-drone technology during remarks at the Drone Security Industry and SLTT Grant Forum on November 9 at MGM National Harbor in Maryland. He urged industry to extend drone protection beyond military and federal facilities.

Why it matters

Mullin said intercepting a $20 drone with a $40,000 missile is unsustainable, and inexpensive drones have shown the limits of traditional defenses in Ukraine. Current federal law also restricts who can use certain counter-drone mitigation technologies.

Mullin cited a $40,000 missile used against a $20 drone, illustrating the cost gap in current interception methods. The source does not indicate whether any specific counter-drone program or legal change has been finalized.

The players

Markwayne Mullin

Mullin is the Secretary of Homeland Security who served as a Republican U.S. senator from Oklahoma before his appointment to the department.

Commercial Drone Alliance

The Commercial Drone Alliance is an industry group that advocates for commercial drone operators and co-hosted the forum.

The details

Mullin spoke with Commercial Drone Alliance CEO Lisa Ellman at the forum, which was hosted by the Commercial Drone Alliance, DRONERESPONDERS, and the White House Task Force on the 2028 Summer Olympics. He suggested leasing arrangements could help state, local, tribal, and territorial agencies acquire counter-drone equipment without large upfront purchases.

November 9, 2026: Mullin delivers counter-drone remarks at the Drone Security Industry and SLTT Grant Forum.

Legal Context

Mullin's remarks build on lessons from the war in Ukraine, where inexpensive drones have exposed the limits of traditional defense systems. The domestic push for cheaper counter-drone tools also runs into existing federal restrictions on who may use certain mitigation technologies.

Local agencies and event organizers may soon have access to leasing options for counter-drone equipment, reducing upfront costs. Readers should monitor federal policy changes that would expand who can use certain mitigation technologies.

The takeaway

Lower-cost interception tools are becoming a central concern as drone threats spread beyond the battlefield. Expanding affordable protection to more sites will depend on both industry innovation and changes to current federal rules.