Archive · 5 Oct 2026
US Army Tests Counter-Drone Technology Along Mexican Border
The US Army is trying new tools to spot and stop drones near the Mexican border.
Officials say criminals often use ordinary store-bought drones to watch border activity.
The military detected 378 drone crossings in the 30 days before Brigadier General Brian Filler spoke.
At an exercise in Arizona, companies showed equipment that can find, follow or stop small drones.
Some of the systems included radar, interceptor drones and automated guns.
The military also said it had used lasers to bring down 11 cartel drones since August.
Army officials are studying how to improve their equipment quickly, as military forces have done in Ukraine.
They say cartel drones are not as advanced as many battlefield drones, but the border is a useful place to test equipment.
The US Army is testing counter-drone systems near the US-Mexico border as officials report rising cartel drone activity.
Brigadier General Brian Filler said the military detected 378 drone incursions in the previous 30 days.
Officials said the drones are generally commercially available and used for surveillance linked to smuggling and human trafficking.
At the Falcon Peak exercise in Arizona in September, companies demonstrated detection systems, interceptor drones and automated guns.
The military said it had used lasers to down 11 cartel drones since deploying the technology along the southern border in August.
- Who
- The US Army and other military officials, including Brigadier General Brian Filler, are testing and assessing counter-drone technology.
- What
- The military is testing equipment to detect, track and defeat drones, amid reported increases in cartel drone activity.
- When
- The report was dated October 5; the Falcon Peak exercise took place in September, and laser deployments began in August.
- Where
- The US-Mexico border area and Falcon Peak in Arizona.
- Why
- Officials say cartel-linked drones are used for surveillance connected to smuggling and human trafficking, and the Army wants to improve its defenses and test equipment in real-world conditions.
- Reported drone incursions
- 378 detected in the previous 30 days, according to Brigadier General Brian Filler.
- Reported laser interceptions
- The military said it had downed 11 cartel drones with lasers since deploying the technology along the southern border in August.
- Exercise
- Falcon Peak, a US Northern Command exercise held in September.
- Exercise location
- Arizona.
- Demonstrated technologies
- Radars, interceptor drones, autonomous gun systems and other counter-drone technologies.
- Drone use described by officials
- Typically commercially available drones used for surveillance associated with smuggling and human trafficking operations.
- Battlefield comparison
- Officials cautioned that cartel-operated drones are not comparable to sophisticated drones used in Ukraine or the Middle East.