- FAA approves laser weapons for anti-drone operations in US airspace
- High-energy weapons “do not pose an increased risk”
- Approval follows several airspace closures due to unapproved weapons firing
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved the use of drone-killing high-energy lasers in US airspace, according to New York Times.
The decision came Friday after a two-month deliberation on the potential dangers the weapons could pose to aircraft in airspace protected by lasers.
Despite airspace closures to shoot down balloons and a friendly fire incident involving a Customs and Border Protection drone, FAA testing “has determined that these systems do not pose an increased risk to the flying public.”
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Anti-drone laser weapon approved for US airspace
The FAA approval does not note any rulings on whether the weapons pose zero risk to aircraft, but instead stated that if the weapons came into contact with an aircraft, the damage would be minimal – which is hardly reassuring.
In addition, pilots flying within airspace protected by laser weapons will be issued a guidance by the FAA.
The FAA has had several moments of conflict with the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security after high-energy lasers were used without FAA approval, leading to two airspace closures over El Paso and Fort Hancock in Texas.
The first incident, on February 10, 2026, saw Customs and Border Protection shoot down a metallic balloon using a high-energy laser weapon on loan from the Pentagon. The FAA immediately imposed an airspace shutdown up to 18,000 feet above El Paso for 10 days, but the restrictions were lifted just a few hours later under pressure from the White House. A senior aide to President Donald Trump called the incident an FAA “f**k-up.”
Then, on February 26, another incident saw high-energy laser weapons fired at an “apparently threatening” drone flying near the US-Mexico border, resulting in the FAA closing the airspace around Fort Hancock. The drone was successfully brought down, but was later found to have been flown by Customs and Border Protection.
Both incidents revealed a lack of concern for the regulations surrounding the new laser installations. The Pentagon is required by federal law to coordinate with the Department of Transportation and the FAA before using new anti-drone technology.
Following the agreement between the FAA and the Department of Defense, US Army Brigadier General Matt Ross said: “By working hand-in-hand with the FAA and our interagency partners, the War Department is proving that these cutting-edge capabilities are safe, effective and ready to protect all air travelers from unlawful drone use in the national airspace.”
Sensing that the FAA may have been pressured to approve the technology for use, Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington, who is one of the leaders of the committee that oversees aviation, has requested that both the Pentagon and the FFA present a briefing on how the deal was made.
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