FY26 US DOT Drone Infrastructure Inspection Grants (DIIG) Program
Status: Open
Posted date: July 20, 2026
Opportunity ID: 363242
Opportunity number: DOT-HASS-FY26-DIIG
Opportunity category: Discretionary
Agency name: 69A345 Office of the Under Secretary for Policy
Agency code: DOT-DOT X-50
Award floor: $500,000
Award ceiling: $9,000,000
Cost sharing required: Yes
Funding Instrument Types
- Grant
Category of Funding Activity
- Community Development
- Consumer Protection
- Disaster Prevention and Relief
- Employment, Labor and Training
- Information and Statistics
- Other
- Science and Technology and other Research and Development
- Transportation
Eligible Applicants
- City or township governments
- County governments
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- Others
- State governments
Categories (use these for quoted searches)
- agency_code:dot_dot_x_50
- category_of_funding_activity:community_development
- category_of_funding_activity:consumer_protection
- category_of_funding_activity:disaster_prevention_and_relief
- category_of_funding_activity:employment_labor_and_training
- category_of_funding_activity:information_and_statistics
- category_of_funding_activity:other
- category_of_funding_activity:science_and_technology_and_other_research_and_development
- category_of_funding_activity:transportation
- cost_sharing_or_matching_requirement:true
- eligible_applicants:city_or_township_governments
- eligible_applicants:county_governments
- eligible_applicants:native_american_tribal_governments_federally_recognized
- eligible_applicants:others
- eligible_applicants:state_governments
- funding_instrument_type:grant
- opportunity_category:discretionary
- status:open
The Drone Infrastructure Inspection Grants (DIIG) Program will provide grants to eligible government entities to facilitate the use of small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), referred to herein as drones, in critical infrastructure inspection. The objective is to increase the widespread adoption of drones and relevant technologies in support of more efficient Inspection, Operation, Construction, Maintenance, and Repair (IOCMR) of critical infrastructure to improve worker safety related to critical infrastructure projects. The program is established by Section 912 of Public Law 118-63 and Public Law 119-75. Eligible uses of grant funds include purchasing, leasing, or enhancing drone systems; contracting for services when internal expertise is lacking in the government entities; and supporting program management for these systems and operations. The DIIG Program prioritizes projects that create and utilize innovative drone inspection technologies and systems, address inspection data management and data platform interoperability, and streamline inspection workflows and processes while accounting for the complexities inherent in multi-jurisdictional regions. Total available funds of $9,000,000 in the DIIG Program (Fiscal Year 2026) are to be awarded on a competitive basis. In selecting applications, the Department will prioritize projects carried out in a variety of communities and projects that address safety risks in the IOCMR of critical infrastructure.The Federal share of the total project cost may not exceed 50 percent.· A lead applicant may request an increase in the Federal share up to 75 percent.· A request for an increased Federal share must be submitted in writing as part of the application.· The request must demonstrate that additional Federal assistance is necessary to facilitate acceptance and full use of the grant, such as by alleviating economic hardship, meeting additional workforce needs, or other appropriate reasons determined by the Department.Applications from private companies, nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, and other non-governmental entities are not eligible unless such entities participate only as contractors, vendors, or other non-applicant partners to an eligible governmental entity.