Wyoming Public Safety Grants & Drone Compliance

What §19-13-503 Prohibits

W.S. §19-13-503(a) addresses operation over or near critical infrastructure or a critical system to intentionally photograph it, intentionally loiter, or further another criminal offense. Subsection (b) separately addresses aircraft carrying explosives, with a lawful-duty exception for law enforcement and the military. Defined systems include water and wastewater, energy facilities, communications towers, rail, courts, public-safety and emergency-operations facilities, jails, certain hospitals and mining sites.

For a first violation, subsection (d) provides misdemeanor penalties; a second or later violation is a felony. Subsections (e) and (f) address reasonable action by law enforcement and possible National Guard assistance to stop a violation. That response authority is tied to an actual violation; it is not an automatic shoot-down instruction for every nearby flight.

Exceptions Matter for Agency Missions

Subsection (c) excludes FAA-authorized use consistent with the authorization and FAA rules; a governmental entity's use of a UAS it owns; use by the facility owner or agent; and law-enforcement, EMS, hazmat, disaster-management and other emergency-management agency use for incident command, area reconnaissance, deployment monitoring, training or a related purpose. Private landowner use on the owner's property is also listed.

Document the actual operator, ownership, mission, facility coordination and FAA authority. A contractor-owned aircraft, an unrelated investigative flight and a government-owned response aircraft can present different facts. The statute's exceptions do not replace privacy, records, aviation or grant conditions.

Federal Awards: ASDA and BJA

OMB M-26-02, Appendix D implements the American Security Drone Act. Since December 22, 2025, recipients and subrecipients generally may not use federal award funds to procure or in connection with operating a FASC-prohibited UAS, subject to specified exemptions and waivers. A locally purchased aircraft can still be affected when federal funds support its operation. This is an award-funding rule, not a blanket prohibition on every foreign-made drone.

BJA's UAS policy permits a purchase under BJA awards only with express prior approval and a certification tied to the DCMA Blue UAS Cleared List. It also addresses modifications/accessories, federal information, Commerce screening and privacy, civil-liberties and IT-cybersecurity assurances. Include the request in the application or obtain an award modification before purchase.

Networked Cameras and Data Security

For drones, fixed cameras, ALPR and communications equipment, record aircraft and payload manufacturer, radio and modem components, firmware origin, cloud endpoints, remote support, encryption, user access, retention and incident response. An agency should review its own IT and procurement policies and the grant's requirements before connecting a system to a government network or sharing footage.

NDAA Section 889 concerns specified covered telecommunications and video-surveillance equipment and services in federal contracting. Federal assistance recipients must also inspect applicable award conditions. This is a component and contract review, not a blanket statement that every locally funded Chinese-made drone is forbidden under Wyoming law.

FCC and TAA Are Separate Checks

The FCC's December 2025 Covered List action affects new equipment authorizations for foreign-produced UAS and critical components. The FCC says previously authorized device models are not thereby prohibited from use, sale or import. Confirm the device model and applicable authorization.

Trade Agreements Act / FAR Subpart 25.4 concerns covered federal acquisitions; it does not automatically apply to every Wyoming municipal purchase. Country of origin, FCC authorization, Blue UAS status and grant allowability each need a separate determination.

Keep a Mission and Funding Record

List each local, state and federal funding stream; the award year, approved line items and operational expenses; aircraft ownership and operator; infrastructure-site coordination; FAA pilot and airspace plan; supply-chain evidence; and cybersecurity review. A state-law exception does not waive federal award restrictions, and an eligible aircraft does not make every mission or expense allowable.