Pantex Plant: Black quadcopter drone over nuclear facility
A security officer at Pantex spotted a black quadcopter drone entering facility airspace from the north at approximately 120 feet altitude. The unmanned aircraft traveled southwest over protected areas before disappearing from view after 30 seconds.
Background
On October 5, 2022, a Protective Force employee at Pantex detected an unauthorized unmanned aircraft system entering restricted airspace from the northern perimeter. The black quadcopter maintained an altitude between 120 and 150 feet while traversing southwest over the facility. A second security officer confirmed the observation, describing the drone as lacking any visible markings or identification. Personnel immediately notified local law enforcement agencies and conducted a ground search for the operator. The search yielded no suspects, and the drone disappeared from sight within half a minute. The incident was classified as a formal security concern despite no evidence of information compromise.