U.S. Warns Cartels Are Adopting Battlefield Drone Tactics Faster Than Defenses

An internal U.S. government assessment warns that Latin American drug cartels are rapidly upgrading their drone capabilities, adopting tactics from the Russia-Ukraine war such as radio-frequency hopping. ACLED data shows about 72% of roughly 670 tracked weaponized-drone events in Latin America since 2018 occurred after January 1, 2025.

• Mexican cartels are recruiting Colombians with Ukraine combat drone experience
• ACLED recorded 38 drone events in Colombia in 2024, 149 in 2025 and over 200 by early September 2026
• U.S. military says it downed 11 cartel-linked drones between August 24 and September 4
• Intelligence claims one cartel has a 6-8 rotor drone carrying over 150 pounds