# Researchers Propose Zero Trust Drone Framework

A 2026 systematic review proposes a six-layer Zero Trust governance framework for autonomous public-safety drones. It outlines mission-scoped permissions, least-privilege autonomy, human approval for consequential actions, explainability, and audit trails. The work is research and policy analysis—not a solicitation or contract—and its feasibility results use synthetic data rather than real incident imagery, so the framework has not been validated in operational conditions.

- Public-safety agencies and drone, cybersecurity, AI-assurance, and evidence-management suppliers can use the proposed controls as considerations when shaping future pilot requirements and procurement plans.
- The emphasis on human approval, traceability, and mission-limited permissions highlights governance and auditability as potential evaluation areas for autonomous drone systems.
- Because real-incident validation is absent, agencies should distinguish the proposed framework from demonstrated operational performance when evaluating deployments. The review points to future pilots and procurements, but identifies no active opportunity or deadline.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Public Safety, Information Technology
**Topics:** Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence
**Published:** October 29, 2026

### Government Entities
- National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
- Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
- Fairfax County
- City of Orlando
- City of Victorville

### Sources
- [Zero Trust Framework Proposed to Secure Autonomous Police and Rescue Drones](https://bioengineer.org/zero-trust-framework-proposed-to-secure-autonomous-police-and-rescue-drones) - Bioengineer.org