FAA and Pentagon Validate AeroVironment LOCUST Laser Counter-Drone System Following White Sands Test

The Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of War successfully tested a high-energy laser counter-drone system at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico in early March 2026. AeroVironment announced on Wednesday that its LOCUST laser hit both stationary and airborne targets during the test.

The system demonstrated automated safety shutoff capabilities if the pre-fire checklist is not met and showed no adverse impact to civilian aircraft during controlled evaluation scenarios.

On April 10, the FAA announced it had completed a safety assessment of the laser system alongside the Pentagon and validated that it does not pose any additional risk to passenger aircraft. AV’s LOCUST high-energy laser system is interconnected through higher-level command and control systems that collect information from nearby aircraft transponders, radar data, and other sensors to provide an Integrated Air Picture.

The LOCUST system undergoes an automated checklist after it is triggered but before it fires the beam.

The LOCUST laser beam is invisible and travels at the speed of light. The beam has a focus point in the center that is targeted. The system is small enough to be mounted onto vehicles and made mobile.

This week, JIATF-401 announced that five installations would participate in the directed-energy counter-drone pilot program: Fort Huachuca, Arizona; Fort Bliss, Texas; Naval Base Kitsap, Washington; Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota; and Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.

There is an ongoing whole-of-government effort to boost America’s counter-drone technology and strategy led by Joint Interagency Task Force 401. The Pentagon, FAA, Department of Homeland Security, as well as state and local officers are involved in the counter-drone effort led by JIATF-401.

Customs and Border Protection used AV’s LOCUST to shoot down what was thought to be an alleged cartel drone but was later found to be a balloon, shutting down the airspace around El Paso for hours. W. Bush for one day in October 2025 for a live-fire exercise.

W. Bush, the LOCUST system destroyed every single target with a 100 percent success rate. “This is a defining moment for directed energy and for the future of homeland defense.

LOCUST has now proven its ability to operate safely and effectively in the most complex airspace environment in the world,” said John Garrity, vice president for Directed Energy Systems at AV. “The future of point defense is here. With FAA & Pentagon approval, AV’s LOCUST Laser is ready to protect our critical infrastructure.

This high-precision, low-cost kinetic alternative is a game-changer for national security. S. tech leading the way,” said Assistant Secretary of War for Critical Technologies Mike Dodd.

“This successful test showcases the significant advancements we’re making in counter-drone technology to ensure that our warfighters have the most advanced tools to defend the homeland,” said General Matt Ross, director of JIATF-401. Washington Examiner reported the details of the test results, prior deployments and pilot program expansion.