AeroVironment LOCUST laser use triggers El Paso airspace shutdown, FAA legal warnings

El Paso airspace shutdown tied to laser counter‑drone strike

AeroVironment LOCUST laser used without FAA clearance, reporting shows

A laser counter‑drone weapon described as an AeroVironment LOCUST on loan from the U.S. Army prompts a temporary airspace shutdown over El Paso after Customs and Border Protection fires at a metallic party balloon near Fort Bliss, Reuters‑style reporting indicates. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy frames the action as a response to a "cartel drone incursion" and says the threat is "neutralized," but The New York Times reports the closure follows the Border Patrol unit’s use of the laser in a border‑security role that had not received Federal Aviation Administration approval and may contravene federal law.

Regulators and safety officials warn of risks from deploying military counter‑drone systems in civilian airspace without coordination. The FAA’s chief lawyer sends an email on Feb. 6 saying use of the weapon without restricting the airspace poses "a grave risk of fatalities or permanent injuries," according to reporting. Despite those warnings, CBP officers fire at what they believe is a drone in predawn hours of Feb. 9; a Defense Department official later reiterates that prior FAA sign‑off is unnecessary and indicates continued use of the systems. The New York Times reports the idea to arm border agents with the lasers was presented to Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg in spring 2025 and that Pentagon staff warned FAA and Transportation Department sign‑off would be required, an account the Pentagon calls "a total fabrication."

The episode intensifies scrutiny of how military counter‑drone technology is transitioned for domestic law‑enforcement use and raises potential legal and oversight questions for AeroVironment and the broader counter‑UAS industry. Industry watchers and aviation safety advocates say ad hoc deployments of powerful directed‑energy systems could prompt tighter regulation, formal transfer protocols, and clearer lines of authority between the Defense Department, FAA and Department of Transportation. The incident also underscores reputational and compliance risks for contractors whose systems are loaned or repurposed for domestic operations without explicit regulatory approval.

Operational fallout and local disruption

FAA administrator Bryan Bedford issues an extraordinary temporary flight restriction forbidding flights below 18,000 feet and closing El Paso airspace for up to 10 days; the order lasts only a few hours but, officials say, causes "chaos and confusion," forcing medevac flights to divert to Las Cruces, New Mexico. Bedford rescinds the restriction on Wednesday amid continuing questions about coordination.

Claims and denials

Officials offer conflicting accounts. DOD sources tell the New York Times the laser proposal reached senior levels in spring 2025; the Pentagon denies that characterization. A DOD official tells reporters the systems do not require prior FAA approval and will remain in use, while Transportation and FAA legal warnings highlight safety and legal concerns.