# DHS Tests Blue UAS Performance in New York City

The Department of Homeland Security's National Urban Security Technology Laboratory (NUSTL) conducted operational testing of five Blue UAS (drones) in New York City to evaluate their performance for first responder use in dense urban environments. Three of the five drones experienced significant flight stability issues due to GPS and signal interference common in Manhattan, raising concerns about their reliability for public safety missions. Chinese-made drones were also tested, but their results have been withheld, underscoring ongoing scrutiny over foreign drone technology in critical government applications.

- **Why this matters:** Procurement professionals should note the operational limitations of current Blue UAS models in urban settings, which may impact future acquisition requirements and vendor evaluations.
- The withheld results for Chinese drones highlight continued caution and potential restrictions on foreign drone technologies in government procurement.
- Agencies and contractors involved in public safety drone solutions should consider the need for enhanced GPS resilience and signal interference mitigation in product development and proposals.
- Organizations can engage with DHS and NUSTL via the provided contact to request detailed test results and inform procurement strategies for urban drone deployments.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Public Safety
**Topics:** Regulatory Compliance
**Published:** September 25, 2026

### Government Entities
- Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
- National Urban Security Technology Laboratory (NUSTL)
- New York Police Department (NYPD)
- Fire Department of New York (FDNY)
- Boston Fire Department

### Vendors
- Skydio (manufacturer of Skydio X10D)
- Parrot (manufacturer of ANAFI USA GOV)
- Freefly Systems (manufacturer of Freefly Astro)
- Ascent AeroSystems (manufacturer of Spirit)
- Teal (manufacturer of Teal 2)

### Sources
- [DHS Lab Grounds 3 of 5 Blue UAS in NYC, Withholds Chinese Drone Scores](https://dronexl.co/2026/09/25/dhs-blue-uas-report-three-of-five-grounded-nyc) - DroneXL