Border Drone Downed by LOCUST Laser, Extending Airspace Restrictions
TL;DR
U.S. forces used AeroVironment's LOCUST laser to shoot down a Customs and Border Protection drone over southwest Texas, prompting a four-month temporary flight restriction around Fort Hancock and Fort Bliss. The incident underscores ongoing policy, coordination, and safety concerns for domestic counter-drone deployments, with FAA involvement and broader implications for border security operations.
- Drone That LOCUST Laser Shot Down On Border Was Small And Belonged To Customs and Border Protection The War Zone
- Pentagon shoots down US Customs and Border Protection drone with laser system, lawmakers say CNN
- A Laser, a Shutdown of Airspace and Signs of Government Agencies at Odds The New York Times
- US military used laser to take down Border Protection drone, lawmakers say NPR
- Texas airspace shut after Pentagon shoots down border patrol drone Axios
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