More than 500 unauthorized drones buzzed over Port Canaveral in 2025, a surge that has turned the Space Coast harbor into Exhibit A in a fresh federal push to clamp down on low-altitude flights around U.S. seaports. The proposal on the table would block most drone operations above qualifying ports and hand ports, and federal agencies would be given expanded power to spot and shut down rogue unmanned aircraft. Local officials say the goal is to head off surveillance, operational slowdowns and potential threats to passengers and high-value cargo.
H.R. 9229, known as the Seaport Security Act of 2026, landed in the House in early June, sponsored by Reps. Jimmy Patronis and Mike Haridopolos referred to the House Judiciary and Transportation committees, according to GovInfo. The lawmakers behind it argue the measure closes what they describe as "dangerous gaps" in the current patchwork of federal authorities that control unmanned aircraft near seaports.
Port Canaveral leaders have been pointing to that 2025 drone tally as they make their case. Capt. John Murray, the port’s CEO, told the port authority board he raised the spike in incursions at a recent meeting and stressed that thousands of cruise passengers and sensitive aerospace and military shipments move through the harbor each week, according to Port Canaveral.
What the Seaport Security Act Would Do
The bill would set a nationwide ban on unauthorized unmanned aircraft operations over qualifying seaports by designating "covered airspace" from the surface up to 1,000 feet above ground level and allowing the FAA to adjust those lateral or vertical boundaries when needed. It includes exceptions for federal agencies, law enforcement that notifies the FAA, seaports and their contractors that provide notice, and flights operating under FAA-approved waivers, language that tracks the text filed with the federal government.
Enforcement and Penalties
If Congress signs off, the measure would empower the FAA and seaports to detect, mitigate, seize, and disable unmanned aircraft flying in covered airspace and would open the door to both civil fines and criminal charges for violators. A bill summary outlines civil penalties of up to $25,000 per violation, potential prison terms of up to two years, and sentences of up to 10 years when flights are used to surveil, damage, or help carry out criminal or terrorist activity, along with a directive for the FAA to issue implementing regulations within 180 days, according to The Civics Project.
Ports and Industry Back the Move
Several Florida ports and national port organizations have thrown their weight behind the proposal and are urging regulators to match any new airspace rules with practical tools to detect and counter suspect drones. The trade outlet WorkBoat reported that JAXPORT, the Florida Ports Council, and other operators have voiced support while pressing federal agencies for coordinated counter-drone capabilities so ports are not left guessing when it comes to enforcement.
Concerns Over Scope and Safety
Policy analysts, meanwhile, caution that the bill hands ports broad power to "mitigate" or "disable" drones without spelling out specific limits. That raises thorny safety and liability questions, including what happens if a disabled drone or its debris comes down on people, ships or port facilities. How those countermeasures would mesh with existing FAA authority and protections for civilian aircraft is a key issue flagged in bill summaries and industry commentary, according to The Civics Project.
What It Means on the Space Coast
On the Space Coast, the implications are not theoretical. Port Canaveral is both a heavyweight cruise port and a critical logistics hub for aerospace recoveries and military cargo, which means a single badly timed drone incident could ripple across vacation travel, defense supply lines and space operations. That volatile mix of cruise crowds and sensitive shipments is what pushed port leaders to take the issue to Capitol Hill, according to reporting in Seatrade Cruise News and the port's own announcement.
Next Steps
H.R. 9229 still has a full legislative gauntlet to run. It must clear committee consideration and floor votes in both chambers before heading to the president’s desk. Legislative trackers show the bill was introduced and sent to committee in June, and it would trigger FAA rulemaking within 180 days of becoming law, according to LegiScan. For now, it stands as the strongest federal response yet to what port officials say was a genuine operational headache last year.
Local leaders say they plan to keep working with federal partners as the measure winds its way through Washington, while port security teams keep a close eye on how the FAA might implement any new authority. If H.R. 9229 advances, Central Florida could end up among the first test beds for a new era of seaport drone rules.
