US Military Mistakenly Shoots Down CBP Drone with Laser

The US military has reportedly shot down a drone belonging to Customs and Border Protection near the Mexican border in Fort Hancock, Texas. This incident marks the second time this month that the FAA closed the airspace near the US-Mexico border due to a drone-related incident.

Incident Details

The Thursday incident led the Federal Aviation Administration to close the airspace where the military fired the anti-drone laser. Meanwhile, the FAA, CBP, and the Pentagon stated that the military employed counter-unmanned aircraft system authorities to mitigate a seemingly threatening unmanned aerial system operating within military airspace.

However, it was later revealed that the drone was actually a CBP drone. Additionally, this incident reportedly led to a smaller airspace closure and was also done without approval from the FAA.

Reaction to the Incident

Reps. Bennie Thompson, André Carson, and Rick Larsen expressed outrage over the incident. They stated that the White House’s decision to sidestep a bipartisan, tri-committee bill to appropriately train C-UAS operators and address the lack of coordination between the Pentagon, DHS, and the FAA was a short-sighted idea.

For example, they mentioned that the lack of coordination between the agencies was a major concern. Therefore, they called for a more coordinated approach to address the issue of drone incursions.

Previous Incidents

On February 11th, officials closed airspace around the El Paso International Airport for hours after CBP fired an anti-drone laser without coordinating with the FAA. However, it was later revealed that the incident was actually a party balloon, not a drone.

Meanwhile, the FAA has been working to address the issue of drone incursions. They have been implementing new rules and regulations to ensure that drones are operated safely and securely.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the incident highlights the need for better coordination between the military, CBP, and the FAA. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of ensuring that drones are operated safely and securely.

Finally, we recommend that the government takes a more coordinated approach to address the issue of drone incursions. This can be achieved by implementing new rules and regulations, as well as providing training for C-UAS operators.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What happened in the incident? The US military mistakenly shot down a CBP drone with a laser near the Mexican border in Fort Hancock, Texas.
2. Why was the airspace closed? The airspace was closed due to the drone-related incident, which was the second time this month that the FAA closed the airspace near the US-Mexico border.
3. What was the reaction to the incident? Reps. Bennie Thompson, André Carson, and Rick Larsen expressed outrage over the incident, stating that the White House’s decision to sidestep a bipartisan, tri-committee bill was a short-sighted idea.
4. What is being done to address the issue of drone incursions? The FAA has been working to address the issue of drone incursions by implementing new rules and regulations to ensure that drones are operated safely and securely.
5. What can be done to prevent similar incidents in the future? A more coordinated approach can be taken by implementing new rules and regulations, as well as providing training for C-UAS operators.