D.C. Bolsters Counter-Drone Capability With Web of Sensors

Government-owned Athena system aggregates data from an array of sensors to create a full picture of UAS activity.

Jack Daleo

Monday, January 26, 2026 at 10:30 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

A Skydio X10 drone conducts surveillance around Ray Rangel Air Base during Exercise Coyote Shield at Dyess Air Force Base near Abilene, Texas, in October 2025. [Credit: Jade Caldwell/U.S. Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. government has launched "Athena," a new counter-uncrewed aircraft system (C-UAS) in the National Capital Region (NCR) to detect, identify, and respond to unauthorized drone activity.
Athena integrates sensor data from multiple government agencies to create a "fused, actionable air picture," enabling more precise detection, tracking, and neutralization of drone threats.
This system addresses the critical issue of rogue drone activity in highly restricted airspaces like D.C., which has previously caused disruptions, such as flight halts.
Athena is part of a broader, intensified push by the U.S. government to enhance counter-UAS capabilities nationwide, including increased federal funding and interagency coordination.

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As U.S. President Donald Trump pursues a Golden Dome to shield the country from missile attacks, the government is quietly introducing a similar, smaller system in the National Capital Region (NCR) around Washington, D.C.

On Thursday, the military’s Air Forces Northern and Air Forces Space units—collectively known as CONR-1AF and responsible for protecting the U.S. from aerial threats—unveiled a system that is designed to create a “fused, actionable air picture” of all uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) activity in the region.