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Policy Watchtower/Funding available

DOT forecasts $9M drone inspection grants (DIIG); tribal governments eligible

Transportation DepartmentFunding availableJul 28, 2026

Check: The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) forecasts $9,000,000 in competitive Drone Infrastructure Inspection Grants (DIIG) for FY2026, and tribal governments are listed as eligible applicants.

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What it does

Tribal governments can apply for competitive grants to buy, lease, or upgrade small drones (small Unmanned Aircraft Systems) for inspecting critical infrastructure, or to contract for those services. The text states the federal share (the portion of project cost the federal government pays) may not exceed 50 percent, and a lead applicant may request up to 75 percent in writing with the application, showing that the extra help is needed. The estimated posting date is 2026-09-15 and the estimated application due date is 2026-11-15.

Why it matters for tribal funding

Tribes eligible. Tribes or Native organizations are among those who can apply or are covered, alongside others.

Who it covers: Tribal governments.

What to do next

  1. Watch for the full posting under opportunity number DOT-HASS-FY26-DIIG, estimated for 2026-09-15.
  2. Plan a project budget and any local match before the estimated application due date of 2026-11-15; if seeking more than 50 percent federal share as lead applicant, prepare the written justification required with the application.

Sources

Every signal is built from public records. The highlighted words appear in the source exactly as shown.

  • Grants.gov: forecasted opportunitiesforecastJul 28, 2026

    FY26 US DOT Drone Infrastructure Inspection Grants (DIIG) Program

    • Quoted from the source: “Total available funds of $9,000,000 in the DIIG Program (Fiscal Year 2026) are to be awarded on a competitive basis.”
    • Quoted from the source: “An eligible applicant must be one of the following:”
    • Quoted from the source: “The Federal share of the total project cost may not exceed 50 percent.”
    Read the originalU.S. government record, public domain.

Terms with a dotted underline open a plain-language definition. This is guidance, not legal advice: the official text always controls. A free public service from GrantsPath, a Native-owned business.