The US military reportedly shot down a CBP drone with a laser

Source: The Verge

Incident Overview

The U.S. military mistakenly shot down a drone belonging to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) near the Mexican border in Fort Hancock, Texas, according to reports from Reuters and The New York Times. The incident prompted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to close the airspace where the military fired an anti‑drone laser.

The US-Mexico border in Fort Hancock, Texas.
Photographer: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Background

This is the second time this month that officials have closed airspace near the U.S.–Mexico border due to an anti‑drone laser incident. On February 11, airspace around El Paso International Airport was shut down for several hours after CBP fired an anti‑drone laser without coordinating with the FAA.

Sources

• Reuters report
• The New York Times article
• Read the full story at The Verge