FBI Plans to Arm Itself With Fiber-Optic Drones

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) plans to equip itself with drones controlled via fiber-optic cable.

The War Zone reported on this.

The Bureau has formally issued a request for information from suppliers of unmanned aerial systems that operate via fiber-optic tether.

The focus on fiber-optic drones stems from the belief that the technology can ensure stable, high-quality communications, avoid reliance on radio frequencies, and reduce the risk of electronic jamming.

In the request, the FBI says it wants to know whether manufacturers can provide such systems, as well as drones that use traditional radio control. Requirements include a minimum flight time of 30 minutes, the ability to be carried in a backpack, protection against dust and splashes, and video transmission from the onboard camera to a ground-station display.

The document also states that each system should cost no more than $12,000. According to the publication, the FBI’s interest is linked to the growing use of drones by criminals — in particular, drug cartels, which actively deploy radio-frequency jamming systems along the border.

Militarnyi previously reported that on November 3, 2025, field tests of the Falcon wired unmanned aerial vehicle from TCOM took place at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin.