AUTO PILOT

Drone Crash Near Power Substation Likely Meant to Damage Electricity Supply

Federal officials are sounding the alarm now to ensure that the threat of drones to critical infrastructure does not increase.

A drone that crashed in July 2020 near a power substation in Pennsylvania was likely intentionally aimed to cause damage to the electric equipment, according to reports from ABC News and CNN. The FBI, Department of Homeland Security, and the National Counterterrorism Center wrote in a memo that the “modified unmanned aircraft system” was used to “specifically target energy infrastructure” by creating a “short circuit to cause damage to transformers or distribution lines.” The drone incident did no damage, but the perpetrator has not yet been identified. Federal officials are sounding the alarm now to ensure that the threat of drones to critical infrastructure does not increase. DHS officials are investing in new technologies to address, counter, and prevent drone threats as unmanned aircrafts have become cheaper and much more easily obtainable in recent years.