Friday’s FAA announcement followed a safety review that began after airspace closures in Texas this year, according to the agency. The FAA said the lasers—anti-drone systems used by the U.S. military and Homeland Security along the southern border to combat cartel drones—should not trigger airport closures because they are safe for air travel. In its statement, the FAA did not lay out the specific safeguards it said it and Defense Department officials agreed on, and it did not immediately respond to follow-up questions seeking additional details.
The FAA said it and the Defense Department signed an agreement outlining safety precautions meant to protect travelers any time the lasers are used. The FAA did not specify what those precautions are in the announcement, and it said it would continue working with interagency partners to ensure the National Airspace System remains safe as drone threats evolve.
The FAA’s review was prompted by a first February incident in which the agency closed the airspace around the El Paso airport for several hours after a different agency used a counter-drone laser without notifying the FAA. Travelers were left scrambling to find new flights during the closure, the report said. A second, more limited airspace closure followed later in February after the military shot down a drone owned by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, triggering additional FAA action.
MSI previously reported that the Pentagon allowed a counter-drone laser use before the FAA closed El Paso airspace after CBP used the system. 2026-02-12-faa-closes-el-paso-airspace-after-cbp-uses-anti-drone-laser. In the current account, lawmakers and the FAA’s own actions point to a central issue: when counter-drone systems are deployed, aviation regulators said they must be informed so closures and other safety impacts can be avoided or minimized.
The FAA said a demonstration of the lasers conducted last month at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico convinced the agency the lasers can be used safely. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said in a statement: “We will continue working with our interagency partners to ensure the National Airspace System remains safe while addressing emerging drone threats.”
Lawmakers said they were encouraged that the agencies were working together more, but they also said they need detailed answers before they can be sure the lasers are safe. Rep. Rick Larsen, the ranking Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, emphasized the need for ongoing coordination, saying: “It is absolutely critical that meaningful interagency collaboration continues — the FAA must be at the table whenever any counter-UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System) is deployed that could impact the safety of our national airspace.”
In the second February incident, the military used the laser to shoot down a “seemingly threatening” drone flying near the U.S.-Mexico border on Feb. 26, lawmakers said. They said it turned out the drone belonged to Customs and Border Protection, prompting the FAA to close the airspace around Fort Hancock, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) southeast of El Paso.
The issue comes as drones are commonly used along the border by Mexican cartels to deliver drugs or surveil officers, according to the report. Officials told Congress last summer that more than 27,000 drones were detected within 1,600 feet (500 meters) of the southern border in the last six months of 2024.
The report also said the Trump administration has said it is working to halt cartel drone incursions. U.S. Army Brigadier General Matt Ross said the agreement will allow the use of the most advanced tools to defend the homeland, adding: “By working hand-in-hand with the FAA and our interagency partners, the Department of War is proving that these cutting-edge capabilities are safe, effective, and ready to protect all air travelers from illicit drone use in the national airspace.”
Beyond the FAA’s safety decision, the federal government has provided funding aimed at helping states respond to drones, including more than $250 million for preparations tied to this summer’s World Cup matches and other celebrations for the nation’s 250th birthday, the report said. The government also plans to award another $250 million later this year to strengthen national drone defenses.
Finally, Democratic lawmakers who raised concerns after the February laser uses said the FAA has not yet held a briefing for Congress, and they indicated they would not be satisfied with high-level reassurances without more specifics about how the precautions are applied in practice.