NASA needs a drone detector at the Kennedy Space Center

NASA is seeking proposals for a new system to spot and identify drones that may fly over the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

The space agency recently make a call for proposals for unmanned aircraft system (UAS) sensing and analysis services, which NASA hopes to implement by April 2026. The system’s goal will be to “make rapid, critical decisions to protect NASA personnel, the public, launch vehicles, flight hardware, high-value critical assets, and security interests,” according to the contract listing. It will have fixed and mobile sensors.

The move comes shortly after the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that it ban new foreign-made drones and drone components, citing national security concerns.

Eyes towards the sky

The Kennedy Space Center is NASA’s primary launch site, including for the Space Launch System rocket that will carry the Artemis missions to the Moon, and houses facilities for research and commercial space projects.

“All UAS flights over KSC property, whether inside or outside the security perimeter, are restricted and only occur with the approval of KSC Flight Operations,” NASA wrote in its proposal. It is unclear whether the agency has recently faced drone threats or whether this is a precautionary measure to protect its launch assets. It is also unclear what type of drone detection systems are used at the nearby Cape Canaveral space station, which houses classified military activities.

The drone detection system would detect and identify unknown UAS at a distance of at least 46 miles (64 kilometers), provide threat analytics, detection and alert capabilities in real time, according to the request for proposals.

The recent ban on foreign-made drones stems from a defense bill passed last year, which called for a review of the national security risks posed by flying vehicles. At the end of 2024, there was a wave of reports of drones seen flying over New Jersey, but most experts say people were just confused by traditional plane.

We can point to at least one relevant site: the KSC Visitor Center is would have host a holiday drone show featuring 600 autonomous aircraft.