The U.S. Department of Defense detected 95 unauthorized drone flights near the Pentagon between July and September of 2017, sparking concerns that foreign agents or terrorists could use unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to spy on or even attack the Pentagon.
Drone detection equipment was deployed at two bases: Fort Lesley J. McNair in Washington, DC, from July 19 to August 24 and Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, Virginia, from August 24 to September 23.
Both bases are less than two miles from the Pentagon and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and inside the 15-mile radius inner ring of a “no drone zone.” In April 2017, The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) restricted unauthorized drone flights over 133 military bases.
Pablo Estrada, a spokesman for airspace security company Dedrone, which assisted in the survey, said that his company used radio sensors to detect the manufacturer, model and distance of the overhead drones. Most of the drones detected were small models available to consumers.
The purpose of the study was to determine if drones were flying over bases and start a discussion about the threats drones pose to military installations.