Colorado Public Safety Grants

Colorado Proposals and the Enacted Telecom Rule

SB26-024 proposed state and local UAS regulatory authority but was postponed indefinitely on February 25, 2026. SB26-071 proposed the SAFE Act’s law-enforcement surveillance-data rules, including provisions addressing drone cameras and plate readers, but was postponed indefinitely on May 6, 2026. Do not present either bill’s proposed limits as current law.

SB24-151 is law. It requires telecommunications providers operating in Colorado to remove, discontinue or replace critical telecommunications infrastructure using equipment from a federally banned entity, with registration and certification duties. A city buying a drone does not become subject to a general drone prohibition merely because SB24-151 exists. If the project also involves a regulated telecommunications provider or its infrastructure, review that separate obligation.

Federal Grant Dollars and UAS Cybersecurity

FAR 40.202 addresses federal executive-agency procurement and operation of FASC-prohibited UAS. For Colorado state and local recipients, OMB M-26-02, Appendix D separately prohibits use of federal award funds to procure or in connection with operating such UAS since December 22, 2025, subject to specified exemptions and federal waivers.

The same OMB memorandum directs federal awarding agencies to put appropriate information-security requirements into grants funding UAS that process, store or transmit federal information. Review the NOFO and award for data security, cloud access, firmware and vendor-control terms. A local-funds purchase does not itself permit federally funded operation of a prohibited aircraft.

CU Boulder’s Research Path Is Project-Specific

CU Boulder Flight Operations publishes a UAS compliance decision path effective December 22, 2025. Its federal research branch directs commercial UAS buyers to a Blue UAS or NDAA-compliant path and custom builders to federal-acquisition review; its private-funding branch identifies no federal purchase restrictions under that path. Flight and airworthiness review still applies.

This is a university research procedure, not a law binding every Colorado municipality. A public-safety partner should ask which entity buys and operates the aircraft, whose funds pay for it, and whether the university’s flight-operations process applies to the proposed joint project.

FCC, Section 889, TAA and Blue UAS

The FCC Covered List principally affects new equipment authorizations for covered UAS and components; the action did not automatically revoke earlier equipment authorizations. Verify the exact model and configuration before ordering. FCC authorization does not establish grant allowability.

2 CFR 200.216 can restrict federal award spending on certain covered telecommunications and video-surveillance equipment and services. Section 889 and its clauses apply in their contract settings. TAA origin rules govern covered federal acquisitions, while Blue UAS is a vetting pathway. Read the rule and award that actually applies rather than relying on a generic “NDAA compliant” label.

Security, Privacy and Deployment Controls

Document aircraft and payload manufacturer, radio and camera components, ground station, cloud region, telemetry, retention, encryption, remote access and update chain. Apply Colorado records, evidence, privacy and agency surveillance policies to the specific mission. The failed 2026 SAFE bill does not supply an enacted statewide retention schedule.

Confirm FAA operating authority, airspace approval, training, launch location and relevant local rules before flight. Colorado’s HB18-1314 includes UAS in the “obstacle” element of obstruction of public-safety operations, with an exception tied to compliant operation.

Practical Colorado UAS Procurement Checklist

1. 1Start with the mission and money. Identify the buyer, operator and project; separate direct federal, pass-through, state, local, private and research funding.
2. 2Read the current award. Check the solicitation, approved budget, equipment allowability, pass-through terms and any written waivers.
3. 3Screen the federal UAS rule. For federal award funds, apply OMB M-26-02 Appendix D to both procurement and costs connected with operation.
4. 4Check other federal equipment rules. Review FCC authorization and, when applicable, 2 CFR 200.216, Section 889 contract clauses or covered acquisition origin terms.
5. 5Map the entire system. Record manufacturer, assembler, airframe, radios, cameras, ground control, software, cloud and data-access paths.
6. 6Check Colorado-specific scope. Review SB24-151 only for relevant regulated telecom infrastructure, and CU Boulder procedures for covered research partnerships.
7. 7Document privacy and flight controls. Set mission approval, access, retention, evidence, training, FAA/airspace and applicable local launch rules.
8. 8Keep a procurement record. Save vendor evidence, component list, award approvals, security assessment and any exception or waiver.