In mid-August, military, government, and industry leaders gathered in Arlington for the 2025 Counter UAS Summit presented by the Institute for Defense & Government Advancement. The rapidly evolving counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) landscape was explored over the course of two days, and a major point of emphasis was that legal and regulatory structures have not kept pace with advancements in UAS technology. As discussed previously in an article written by C. Carter Lee which appeared in The Hill, failure to bring these structures up to speed poses a critical challenge for both public and private entities.
Summit presentations stressed the need for an integrated approach to address UAS threats. In discussing their respective topics, many presenters shared firsthand experiences dealing with transnational criminal organizations along with notable unmanned aircraft incidents such as the “Chinese spy balloon” and drone sightings over New Jersey in 2024. Other presenters provided in-depth reviews of other major drone-related events such as Operation Spiders Web (the Ukrainian drone attack on a Russian airbase) and an attempt to fly an improvised explosive device into an electric utility’s substation in Nashville, Tennessee. By citing real world examples, summit speakers highlighted the benefit of C-UAS technology, the urgent requirement for broader drone mitigation authority, and the need for streamlined procurement frameworks.
While market projections were not specifically discussed at the Summit, it was difficult to ignore the sense that the market for C-UAS technology will expand significantly in the coming years. In addition to increased investment from military and civilian authorities at the federal level, demand for currently authorized UAS detection capabilities is poised to expand among non-federal entities. Moreover, if existing legal restrictions on who may engage in C-UAS activities are relaxed, a significant commercial market for mitigation technologies could quickly emerge.
