Laser Weapon Drops Unauthorized Drone Use at US-Mexico Border

By MATTHEW WEISSMAN

New anti-drone lasers now being used at the US-Mexico border have led to an about 75% decrease in unauthorized drone usage less than two weeks after the system was implemented.

The advanced system debuted in late August after over two years of training, including an incident where the FAA had to temporarily shut down airspace in El Paso, TX.

The technology uses an invisible heat beam that hits specific points on the drone from a laser-mounted car. The laser is controlled by a person using an Xbox controller with a camera feed.

Overall, I think this technological advancement is a great new tool to help stop drone misuse. My only concern would be a repeat of the El Paso incident, where airspace had to be shut down due to the technology; be sure to check out my blog entry from when it happened! The federal government has had many recent efforts to stop illegal use, including notably at this year's FIFA World Cup, and this new laser system will continue to help to keep the skies and country safe.

Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/laser-weapon-us-military-drone-activity-us-mexico-border/