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Home > Analysis > Two Fronts in the Future of Drone Warfare

Following are two noteworthy developments in the future of drone warfare. One, the expansion of drone warfare capabilities by the Department of Defense “at scale”.  The other:  a troubling drone presence in the northern frontier region of Mexico.   

Featured Image Source: C/O Futures   

The Wrong People Just Got Their Hands on an Elite Drone Unit

A notorious cartel is threatening to wreak havoc with a new team of specialized drone operators.

As reported at The Daily Beast:  One of Mexico’s most violent cartels has just created its own elite unit of drone operators, a highly trained group of sicarios dedicated to tweaking commercial drones and turning them into flying bombs to use against rival cartels and Mexican authorities, according to U.S.-based security analysts, Mexican officials, and cartel members who spoke with The Daily Beast.

The ruthless Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG for its Spanish acronym) began weaponizing commercial drones more than four years ago, according to researchers and Mexican authorities. The creation of specialized drone units, however, indicates that the cartel is shifting its drone operations into high gear.

OODA Network Member John Sullivan was also quoted in The Daily Beast coverage:

“The significance of the institutionalization of weaponized aerial drones by criminal armed groups… can as a result present a more profound threat to the state and its security forces,” John P. Sullivan, researcher at C/O Futures, told The Daily Beast. “Future potentials might include targeting law enforcement and customs and border patrol officials on the frontier,” Sullivan said.

The article also references this initial report, of which Sullivan is a co-author:  Robert J. Bunker and John P. Sullivan, “Operadores Droneros del Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG): Specialized Cartel Drone Unit Patch.” C/O Futures Cartel Research Note Series. 31 May 2023, https://www.cofutures.net/post/operators-droneros-del-cartel-jalisco-nueva-generación-cjng-specialized-cartel-drone-unit-patch

Daniel Pereira

About the Author

Daniel Pereira

Daniel Pereira is research director at OODA. He is a foresight strategist, creative technologist, and an information communication technology (ICT) and digital media researcher with 20+ years of experience directing public/private partnerships and strategic innovation initiatives.