Pentagon to give Cape Canaveral anti-drone security overhaul

The US Space Force is upgrading security at the Cape Canaveral station to defend against small drones. Upgrades will be provided by Pentagon task force JIATF 401; existing air defenses target aircraft, not quadcopters. About 109 launches were conducted from the spaceport last year, with numbers potentially rising to 1,000 per year by 2030.

• Upgrades to be supplied by Pentagon counter-drone task force JIATF 401
• Current air defenses are not designed for low-flying DJI-sized quadcopters
• About 109 launches were conducted from the spaceport in 2025
• Launch count planned to rise to 1,000 per year by 2030