Drones are buzzing around US military bases, even forcing one to close its airspace. They reflect a growing problem.

A US military helicopter sits in the dense fog at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in November 2024.

A US military base in Ohio briefly closed its airspace heading into the weekend after small drones were spotted in the area, officials confirmed to B-17 on Monday.

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is the latest military installation to report drone activity in its vicinity, though, unlike some of the others, it actually interfered with operations. The development, like incidents at civilian airfields, speaks to a growing problem: a proliferation of drones that can spy on military bases or hazard their operations.

Drones, especially small quadcopters, can be easily purchased for a few hundred dollars, and as the war in Ukraine has shown, they are surprisingly versatile. In the hands of an extremist, spy or even a careless enthusiast, these systems pose a threat the Defense Department is scrambling to counter as it increasingly factors them into day-to-day operations, from battle to base security.

Drone sightings near US military bases

Within the past few weeks, there have been multiple confirmed drone sightings near two military installations in New Jersey, as well as reports of drones near US Coast Guard operations and critical infrastructure. The Department of Defense hasn’t expressed great concern, saying it doesn’t have evidence the drones are a threat, but it has expressed frustration over this activity. One official called the activity “irresponsible.”

The development follows an unusual recent trend, with suspected drones being spotted up and down the US East Coast. In recent years, there has also been a growing trend of drone sightings and unidentified aerial phenomena near American bases, both at home and abroad.

US Air Force F-16 Viper Demonstration Team members perform a show launch at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in June 2024.

At Wright-Patterson, small drone activity was detected around the base on Friday, leading the airfield management team to close the airspace into early Saturday over “aviation safety concerns,” an Air Force spokesperson told B-17.

Wright-Patterson hosts the Air Force Research Laboratory, the 655th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Wing, and the 445th Airlift Wing, as well as other units. The base and its two lengthy runways make it a key installation for the US military.

The Air Force spokesperson said that, in general, depending on the facility, there could be many military aircraft taking off and landing. Some of the sites also host sensitive assets, making it a risk for operators to fly small drones in the vicinity. Drones don’t have to be malign to be a problem.

“To date, installation leaders have determined that none of the incursions impacted base residents, facilities, or assets,” Bob Purtiman, the chief of public affairs for Wright-Patterson, told B-17.

“We are taking all appropriate measures to safeguard Wright-Patterson and its residents. Our units continue to monitor the airspace and are working with local authorities to ensure the safety of base personnel, facilities, and assets,” he added.

The War Zone, a military news site, first reported on the drone incursions at Wright-Patterson, sharing an air traffic controller recording that reported “heavy” drone activity.

The incident at Wright-Patterson followed recent drone sightings at other military installations in New Jersey: Picatinny Arsenal and Naval Weapons Station Earle. These came amid a string of reported drone activity along the East Coast over the past month.

A growing problem

A Joint Staff spokesperson told reporters on Saturday the New Jersey sightings are “not a new issue for us. We’ve had to deal with drone incursions over our bases for quite a time now.”

There have been a number of sightings of suspected drones and other unidentified flying objects around important military installations in recent years. Just last week, for instance, drones were reportedly spotted above an American base in Germany. Some have been spotted near US operations in the UK, as well as a base in Virginia, among other stateside locations.

The threat levels vary. Drones are readily available to both malign actors and harmless hobbyists alike. The challenge is that it can sometimes be difficult to distinguish which it is, and drones lower the barrier for entry on aerial surveillance and more.

“This has become a huge problem for both military and civilian airfields and will get worse as drone usage proliferates further,” Mark Cancian, a defense expert and retired US Marine Corps colonel, told B-17. “It certainly has national security implications as many drones fly over sensitive military facilities like Wright-Patterson.”

With drones flying near civilian airports, Cancian, now a senior advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that such activity could be a safety hazard and interfere with the flow of operations. This can be a huge disruption at a major airport with nationwide effects.

Amid the recent East Coast drone drama, runway operations at a New York airport were briefly shut down. And over the weekend, there was also a “hazardous drone operation” incident near a Boston airport.

Small drones like the one pictured have become versatile platforms for a range of activities.

“For military airfields, the greater concern is espionage and improper disclosure of sensitive information,” Cancian said, but “safety and disruption of operations are also important.”

The Pentagon recognizes the risks posed by growing drone usage and is seeking out ways to better its approach to counter unmanned systems, as a new counter-drone strategy shows.

“If a determination is made that unauthorized drones are conducting any malign or malicious activity,” Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Monday, “commanders are authorized to take appropriate action to mitigate and counter these unmanned systems.”

But in the US, as the Joint Staff spokesperson said, the military is limited in what it can do beyond the walls of its bases. It doesn’t enjoy the same freedom of operation in the US that it has at some bases overseas. It can’t simply open fire, especially near civilian areas. Ryder indicated something has to be a “clear and present danger” before it comes to that.

Officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Homeland Security also said during Saturday’s call that they are similarly limited in their ability to respond to reported drone sightings. They urged Congress to pass legislation that would expand federal agencies’ counter-drone authorities.

“The challenge for airspace management is how to deter or defeat such incursions without endangering the surrounding civilian communities or legitimate air traffic. That rules out everything kinetic,” Cancian said.

“Electronic interference or, in extremis, some laser system might be the solution. Those are just now being fielded in the military,” he added. “It would be years before they are widely available to military and civilian facilities.”