The nation’s leading counter-drone developers are putting their equipment to the test on Choctaw Nation land in southeast Oklahoma. The Secretary of Homeland Security got a firsthand look on Thursday at how the technology works.
The counter-drone demonstration in Stringtown, Oklahoma was a full circle moment for DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. While the U.S. Senate, Mullin worked with the Choctaw Nation to become a test site for drone operations and development.
Besides military installations, the Choctaw Nation’s Emerging Aviation Technology Center is the only tribal-owned location in the nation for testing.
Mullin said law enforcement was able to use the safety technology in real time during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“We brought down over 2,000 drones during the games,” said Mullin. “We confiscated over 700, made several arrests.”
Setting the foundation for future large events such as the Super Bowl and the 2028 Olympics.
“It’s not just LA 28 it’s LA Oklahoma City 2028 and we gotta be prepared for it,” said Mullin.
The people who develop the countermeasures said drone technology is rapidly changing.
“We’re seeing this on the battlefields in Ukraine, elsewhere in the world,” said Pedro Allende, DHS Science and Technology Undersecretary. “The innovation cycle is what used to be months, is now weeks, perhaps even days.”
The federal government partnered with the Choctaw Nation because of its innovation in drone technology. Tribal land also has fewer restrictions for counter-drone testing and for staying on the cutting edge of technology.
“You got to be at the beginning of innovation and you gotta be ready to implement,” said Chief Gary Batton, Choctaw Nation. “This is just our way of trying to protect the homeland, America and do our fair share.”
The Choctaw Nation’s facility is one of nine in the nation designated by the FAA to test drones and counter-drone technology.
