US Northern Command (NORTHCOM) has reported that it is tackling a sharp rise in drone incursions over American military bases. These incursions (essentially drones flying over or near restricted military areas) are happening about once or twice a day and are considered both a security risk and a technological challenge.
To address this, NORTHCOM now runs an annual exercise called “Falcon Peak,” which tests and improves counter-drone systems. These tools are designed to detect, track, and disable drones safely inside U.S. airspace.
NORTHCOM reports that it faced 420 drone incursions between 2024 and 2025, which is up from 230 the year before, or an 82% increase. Most of these drones appear to be civilian hobby drones, but some are suspicious and could involve foreign nationals or espionage (like a Chinese national caught at Vandenberg Space Force Base).
In response, bases often can’t just shoot them down because Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) rules protect civilian airspace. Only some Department of Defense (DoD) sites, like nuclear or special ops, have legal authority to use countermeasures.
They also report that existing counter-drone technology (like jammers or weapons) can interfere with civilian systems or be dangerous to bystanders. This mixture of issues creates a legal and operational “grey zone” where drones are breaking the rules, but the bases themselves aren’t always allowed to act.
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