ATF looks at drones again for broad array of missions

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), a law‑enforcement arm of the U.S. Department of Justice, released a Request for Information (RFI) document on Tuesday seeking data from commercial vendors that develop, produce, or support small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS). The agency’s objective is to lay the groundwork for a multi-year, category-based acquisition vehicle that would allow ATF—and, potentially, other federal entities—to procure a standardized, modular suite of drone capabilities for a broad array of mission sets.

Why the ATF is Turning to Drones

ATF’s mandate includes combating illegal firearms trafficking, explosives violations, arson, terrorism, and the illicit diversion of alcohol and tobacco products. To meet that mandate, the bureau conducts investigations and operational responses in environments that range from dense urban centers to remote, disaster‑stricken areas, and from indoor facilities to outdoor crime scenes.

Historically, ATF’s sUAS deployments have been driven by individual program needs—Special Response Teams, National Response Teams, field divisions, investigative units and training departments each selected platforms that best fit a narrow set of requirements. This ad‑hoc approach, while functional, has led to a fragmented fleet with varying levels of cybersecurity, interoperability, and sustainment support.

A New Acquisition Strategy

The RFI outlines an ambitious plan to replace that patchwork with a standardized, modular, and category-based national sUAS capability. Rather than purchasing vendor-specific solutions for each isolated use case, ATF intends to establish a common baseline of performance specifications—payload capacity, endurance, communication links, data‑handling, and cybersecurity posture—that can be applied across the federal government.

The period of performance for this contract shall consist of a base year and four option years. The specific dates for these periods of performance are as follows:

• Base Year: October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027
• Option Year 1: October 1, 2027 through September 30, 2028
• Option Year 2: October 1, 2028 through September 30, 2029
• Option Year 3: October 1, 2029 through September 30, 2030
• Option Year 4: October 1, 2030 through September 30, 2031

Timeline and Expectations

Interested companies have until March 31 to submit their responses to the RFI. The agency has not yet announced a date for a formal request for proposals (RFP), but the RFI is intended to shape the eventual solicitation by gathering market data on available platforms, costs, cybersecurity certifications, and support infrastructure.

[Editor’s notes: In 2022, ATF started a review of the agency's Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and planning for future requirements.

In 2015, A Justice Department Inspector General announced that the ATF had spent approximately $600,000 on drones it never flew operationally.]