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Federal authorities have successfully recovered 15 industrial drones that were stolen and have the capability to disperse liquid chemicals. However, a former official from the Department of Homeland Security raises a significant concern: were these drones taken for financial gain, or is there a more sinister intent involving national security?
The drones in question, 15 Ceres Air C31 industrial spray models, were initially reported missing from CAC International, a logistics and shipping firm based in Harrison, New Jersey, on March 24. According to The High Side Substack, the recovery occurred more than a month later, on April 27, in Dover, New Jersey.
The New Jersey State Police previously informed Fox News that the drones were located at Prudent Corporation, a trucking company with a warehouse in the area.
On April 27th, the New Jersey State Police Cargo Theft Unit managed to retrieve the stolen agricultural drones and their spray systems. These drones are specifically designed for agricultural use, functioning as registered crop dusters. The theft took place at CAC International in Harrison, NJ, with the drones eventually found at Prudent Corporation in Dover, NJ. The investigation remains active, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection. Further details have not been disclosed, according to a statement from the New Jersey State Police.
Agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) were responsible for recovering the drones on April 27, as noted by HSI Newark.
Despite the drones being recovered, Vincent Martinez, former DHS tactical terrorism response team member and director of service enhancement at ZeroEyes, told Fox News Digital that he “cannot underscore the risk that this poses.”
While Martinez said it’s good the drones were recovered, he warned the biggest questions remain unanswered.
“Where were these intended to land? Who is the ultimate end user? Were they meant simply as a quick buck — or to facilitate action against the homeland?” he said.
In the wrong hands, Martinez warned, the drones could “absolutely” pose a “substantial threat,” particularly if loaded with a chemical agent and deployed over a populated area, which he believes is the primary concern.
A drone is pictured flying over a residential neighborhood. (iStock)
“Because of its design and nature, that is the absolute primary concern in and of itself. Who’s actually conducting the thefts, where they’re going to, who’s funding and financing these? It’s a litany of different phases of escalation that we have to actually look at when we’re conducting the investigation,” Martinez said.
He said it’s “not difficult” for an adversary to weaponize these kinds of drones with the proper training and knowledge.
“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to go into the root menu of a lot of these hardware systems. What it does take is a lot of open source knowledge and an acumen to be technically savvy and technically sound. You can break into almost any drone platform. And there are a lot of laws and regulations specifically by the FAA that prevent that. But I would argue that using these against an adversary or against a homeland, let’s just say, it’s not difficult. You just have to know how to research how to do it,” Martinez said.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Ceres Air said “at no point was there a risk of unauthorized use.”
A drone flies over the ocean at dawn, capturing aerial views as the sun rises. (iStock)
“Ceres systems are built with multiple layers of control, including secure activation protocols, remote lock capability, and separated battery logistics. Without proper authorization, these units cannot be operated,” the company said.Â
“This situation highlights a broader reality in the drone industry. When systems are built and supported domestically, there is accountability. Our equipment is fully traceable through serial tracking and coordinated support networks, all of which exist within the USA. It doesn’t disappear, and it doesn’t operate outside of controlled channels. We build our systems in the United States so they can be tracked, secured, and supported here. That’s exactly what allowed this situation to be resolved quickly and without risk.”
In total, a Ceres Air C31 costs around $58,000, meaning that nearly $870,000 of equipment was allegedly stolen.Â
The drones were allegedly stolen by a delivery driver who duped the company, according to The High Side Substack. The report said that a fraudulent bill of lading was shown when picking up the drones, and CAC International allegedly considered them legitimate.