Transport Security Administration (TSA)
08 January 2025

For the first time in history, TSA used an agency-owned, small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) to test the threat of drones over San Francisco International Airport (SFO). 

This achievement was thanks to the efforts of TSA’s Law Enforcement/Federal Air Marshal Service (LE/FAMS) UAS Assessments Unit, which was established to oversee the agency’s role in protecting the U.S. Transportation Systems Sector from nefarious drone use.

Assistant Supervisory Air Marshal in Charge Jason Goff said this was TSA’s first opportunity to launch its Skydio X10 drone to assess the UAS climate at SFO.

“sUAS supports UAS assessments by providing photographic evidence of line-of-sight and possible attack trajectories from altitude,” explained Goff. “Assessments like this allow us to demonstrate the capabilities of sUAS by conducting elevated (or aerial) observations of airport operations. They also help us verify viable locations for a possible attack.”

When flying, a Skydio X10 weighs about 5 1/2 pounds, is 31.1 inches long, 25.6 inches wide and 5.7 inches high.

Read on: TSA launches new era of drone watch at San Francisco International | Transportation Security Administration

 

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