FAA Restricts Flights Near Fort Hancock After Drone Incident
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) prohibited flights on Thursday in the vicinity of Fort Hancock, Texas, following reports from congressional aides to that a military laser-based anti-drone system may have unintentionally shot down a U.S. government drone.
Neither the FAA nor the Pentagon immediately issued comments; however, the FAA cited "special security reasons" for the airspace restriction near the Mexican border, as noted in its Notice to Air Missions (Notam) alert system.
The airspace restriction around Fort Hancock became effective at 6:30 p.m. local time on Thursday and is scheduled to remain in place until June 24, according to the official notice.
Previous FAA Flight Halt at El Paso Airport
Earlier in June, the FAA announced a 10-day suspension of air traffic at El Paso International Airport in Texas. This order was lifted after approximately eight hours when border protection agents used a laser-based anti-drone system, borrowed from the Pentagon, to shoot down a party balloon.
Reports from and other media outlets indicated that the closure was related to concerns about the deployment of the laser-based anti-drone technology.
