NIJ FY 2026 Research and Evaluation on Drones as First Responders
National Institute of Justice
Award ceiling
—Award floor
—Posted
Oct 22, 2026Closes
Nov 30, 2026Location eligibility
No specific state restriction found in this listing — check the full opportunity for details.Categories: Science and Technology and other Research and Development
Eligible applicants: State governments, Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification), Independent school districts, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Private institutions of higher education, City or township governments, Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, County governments, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Special district governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses
Description
This is a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the NIJ FY 2026 Research and Evaluation on Drones as First Responders. This opportunity seeks proposals for rigorous evaluations of implementations of drone technology to combat violent crime, immigration enforcement, and other law enforcement activities. The goal of this NOFO is to provide actionable information about police implementation of small drones through a collaboration between law enforcement agencies and researchers. NIJ welcomes research and evaluation of drones as first responders (DFR) capabilities, including evaluation of existing capabilities or pilot programs at police departments already using DFR, as well as implementation of new pilot programs or demonstrations. NIJ expects research entities and law enforcement agencies to collaborate on implementing DFR and evaluating operational performance. Law enforcement agencies participating in evaluations will have the option to retain any DFR technology purchased through the NOFO at the study’s conclusion.