FAA shuts down El Paso airspace, DJI VP detained in China, Kansas City counter-drone bill, and drone pilot faces federal charges

Welcome to your weekly UAS news update. We have four stories for you this week, and they’re quite interesting. First up, the FAA abruptly shut down the airspace over El Paso, Texas. A former DJI VP has been detained in China. A new bill gives Kansas City police the authority to take down drones. And finally, a drone pilot faces federal charges after flying over a military site. So, let’s get to it.

FAA and Pentagon dispute leads to complete El Paso airspace shutdown

First up this week, a major story out of Texas where a reported dispute between the FAA and the Pentagon led to the complete shutdown of the airspace around El Paso International Airport.

Late Tuesday the 11th, the FAA issued a NOTAM classifying the airspace within a 10 nautical mile radius of the airport as national defense airspace. The order was effective for 10 days and even authorized the use of deadly force. This grounded everything — commercial flights, cargo, and even air ambulance operations.

According to reports from CNN and CBS News, the drastic measure was the result of the Pentagon’s plan to test a high-energy counter-drone laser at nearby Fort Bliss. The problem was they hadn’t received a final safety signoff from the FAA. The Pentagon reportedly wanted to use the lasers to target cartel drones that were crossing the border, but the two agencies had a meeting scheduled for a week later to finalize safety protocols. It seems like the Pentagon wanted to move faster and the FAA basically responded by shutting down everything to ensure that safety of aircraft in the area was in place.

The White House was apparently not informed. Once they found out the next morning, the restriction was lifted after about 8 hours. In that time, 14 flights were cancelled and medical flights had to be diverted 45 miles away from the zone.

To make matters even more bizarre, sources told CNN that the laser system was used a week before in incidents to shoot down four Mylar party balloons.

DJI former VP detained in China on bribery suspicions

Next up, some big news from inside DJI. The company’s former VP of sales has been criminally detained in China on suspicions of accepting bribes. The executive, only identified by his surname Yuan, was in charge of DJI’s global sales operations from May 2019 through May 2024.

According to reports, he’s suspected of accepting huge amounts of money through illicit deals involving channel partnerships and order allocations. This is different from the company’s 2019 corruption scandal, which involved employees taking kickbacks from parts suppliers and inflating prices on supplies, leading to $150 million in losses.

The total alleged illicit gains here have not been disclosed at this time, but Yuan’s 5-year tenure covers the period of time during which DJI was facing intense pressure from the United States, including being placed on the entity list. During this time, the company was navigating sanctions and building out alternative distribution channels. DJI has not yet commented on this with any public statements, but we’ll keep you posted if they do.

New bill could give Kansas City police authority to take down drones during World Cup

In our third story, Kansas City police could soon have the authority to take down drones during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. A new bill has been introduced called the Counter Drone State and Local Defender Act. It could temporarily grant state and local law enforcement the power to intercept and disable drones that pose a threat.

If passed, the authority would be active from March through September of 2026, covering the entire security window for the tournament. Currently, only federal agencies have the legal authority to use counter-drone systems to jam, seize, or shoot down a drone. The bill would create a pathway for local agencies to get that power.

But it’s not really a free-for-all. Departments would have to complete mandatory training on federally approved equipment and then apply for authorization through the FAA, the Department of Justice, and the FCC. The concern here is that a rogue drone over a packed stadium could be used for surveillance, to drop hazardous material, or even just to create panic. This legislation could become a model for how security is handled at future large-scale events, like the Super Bowl.

Drone pilot faces federal charges after flying over the “Second Pentagon”

And finally, a story that serves as a perfect example of what not to do. A drone pilot in Maryland is facing federal charges after allegedly flying his drone over the Raven Rock Mountain Complex and then posting the footage on his YouTube channel.

If you’re not familiar with Raven Rock, it’s often called the Second Pentagon. It’s a hardened underground military installation that was built during the Cold War to serve as a backup command center in the event of a nuclear attack, and it’s still active today. The airspace above it is classified as restricted national defense airspace.

According to the court affidavit, a military official saw the video on YouTube and then reported it to the FBI. Investigators traced the video back to the pilot, searched his home, and seized the drone. He’s now being charged with a knowing and willful violation of national defense airspace, which carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison.

This is a reminder for all of us, as always — don’t be that guy.

You can watch more videos like this on the Pilot Institute YouTube channel. Read more articles by Greg Reverdiau on DroneXL.