New No-Drone Zone Along U.S.-Mexico Border Bars Unauthorized Drones Up to 400 Feet, 1 Nautical Mile Deep, to Counter Cartel Drones
Unauthorized drones are now barred from flying along the U.S.-Mexico border under a new temporary flight restriction announced Friday by the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Transportation and the Department of War. The no-drone zone runs from the ground up to 400 feet and extends one nautical mile, about 1.15 statute miles, north of the border, according to the agencies.
The agencies said the move is aimed at cartel drones. “This action will help counter cartel drone threats, protect our personnel, and strengthen security in the airspace above the border,” Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in the joint announcement on Oct. 16.
WHAT THE SOUTHERN BORDER NO-DRONE ZONE COVERS
The restriction “will bar any unauthorized drone activity up to 400 feet above ground level and extend one nautical mile north of the U.S.-Mexico border,” according to the DHS and FAA announcements. Both said the restriction was “effective today,” Oct. 16.
The Federal Aviation Administration’s official notice for drone pilots, dated Oct. 16, lists the restriction as running from Oct. 19, 2026, to Oct. 19, 2027. It says the zone is set out in three Notices to Air Missions (NOTAMs): ZLA 6/9954, ZAB 6/9978 and ZHU 6/9956. The FAA notice says operators must check those NOTAMs “for complete restriction details, including effective dates and times, altitudes, geographic boundaries, exceptions, and operating requirements.”
The agencies said the restriction will reduce risks to border security operations, protect federal personnel and facilities, and “enhance enforcement against those who violate the restrictions.”
WHO CAN STILL FLY
The ban covers “unauthorized” drone flights. Drone operators who want permission to fly inside the zone must email U.S. Customs and Border Protection at least 48 hours before the flight, according to the FAA notice. A request must include the operator’s name, FAA certifications, phone number, the proposed date, time and location, and the drone’s Remote ID, make, model and serial number.
First responders and other groups responding to natural disasters or other time-sensitive emergencies “may be eligible for expedited coordination” by calling CBP, the notice says.
The announcements did not list specific penalties for violating this restriction. In general, pilots who violate temporary flight restrictions “can face sanctions ranging from warnings or fines to certificate suspensions or revocations,” depending on the circumstances, according to the FAA’s guidance on flight restrictions.
HEGSETH: ‘SHOOT DOWN ANY CARTEL DRONE’
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the restriction gives military commanders “greater awareness, greater decision space, and more options to defend the Homeland.”
“Equipped with cutting-edge technology—including Directed Energy Weapons—our warfighters will shoot down any cartel drone that threatens America’s sovereignty,” Hegseth said.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said, “President Trump promised to secure the Southern Border, and he did. Now we’re doubling down on that promise by protecting our skies from cartel drone threats and other illicit activities.”
The Pentagon has said there are more than 1,000 drone incursions along the U.S.-Mexico border each month, Reuters reported Friday. Reuters also reported that the FAA and the Pentagon signed an agreement in April allowing the government to use a high-energy laser counter-drone system along the southern border.
Sources: U.S. Department of Homeland Security press release (Oct. 16, 2026); Federal Aviation Administration press release (Oct. 16, 2026); FAA Domestic Notice, “U.S. Southern Border – Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR) for Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS)” (Oct. 16, 2026); FAA guidance on temporary flight restrictions for drones; Reuters (Oct. 16, 2026).
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