REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on a Resolution Accepting $6,525,617 CalOES Award from the Fiscal Year 2026 Counter Unmanned Aircraft System Grant Program, Authorize the City Manager or Designee to Negotiate and Execute Any and All Documents Required to Accept and Use the Award, and Approve the Related Budget Amendment
Report
BACKGROUND
The City of Santa Clara (City) serves as a premier national and international event destination and home to Levi's Stadium, major technology campuses, critical infrastructure, and high-density transportation corridors. It routinely supports large-scale events that attract tens of thousands of attendees, including professional sporting events, concerts, and the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 matches designated as Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) Level 2 events. These events draw hundreds of thousands of spectators, dignitaries, and international media, increasing the City's risk profile and creating a complex threat environment that may attract malicious actors seeking to exploit Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), commonly known as "drones."
Unauthorized UAS activity within restricted airspace near stadiums, transportation hubs, and critical infrastructure poses risks to aviation safety, operational continuity, and public safety. Of particular concern is the potential misuse of unauthorized UAS for surveillance, intelligence gathering or the unlawful delivery of materials over protected venues.
Recent national reporting highlights a significant increase in unauthorized UAS activity across the United States, including near airports, military installations, and large-scale public events. Federal officials have warned that drone incursions near sensitive sites continue to rise, while Counter-UAS (C-UAS) resources remain limited. Congressional testimony indicated that although federal authorities could potentially be deployed to approximately 90,000 special events annually, protective C-UAS capabilities were used in only ...
Click here for full text