BySTACY LIBERATORE, US SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR
Published:13:46 EDT, 24 April 2026|Updated:13:46 EDT, 24 April 2026
An alarm has erupted after 15 powerful agricultural spray drones were stolen in a suspected coordinated heist inNew Jerseylast month.
A report from The High Side claimed theFBIis investigating the theft amid fears the machines could be used to disperse dangerous materials.
Agricultural drones are built for precisionand designed to disperse large amounts of liquid over targeted areas using programmed GPS routes.
That same capability has troubled counterterrorism officials since the post-9/11 years, when fears centered on crop-duster planes flown by a lone pilot. Experts told The Hide Side that there could be 'ridiculously bad' consequences and 'a potential nightmare scenario' if terrorists get their hands on the machines.
Steve Lazarus, a retired FBI agent, told The High Side: 'The bureau is freaked out for a good reason. These aren't hobby drones with cameras.
'They're industrial sprayers designed to carry and disperse significant amounts of liquid quickly and with precision.'
He added that agricultural drones are capable of treating wide areas in a matter of minutes using pre-programmed GPS routes, a feature designed for efficient farming but one that could be dangerous if misused.
When asked about the reported theft of the drones, an FBI spokesperson told the Daily Mail: 'We don't have a comment.'
Source: Drudge Report
