(Reuters) — The U.S. military is expanding efforts to counter drones along the southern border, testing technologies intended to detect and stop unmanned aircraft increasingly used by criminal organizations.

The testing took place during Falcon Peak, a U.S. Northern Command exercise held in Arizona in September. At the Yuma Proving Grounds, defense companies demonstrated equipment capable of identifying, tracking and engaging small drones, including radar systems, interceptor aircraft and automated weapons.

Military officials say many of the drones encountered near the border are commercially available models that criminals have adapted for surveillance. The aircraft can be used to monitor law-enforcement activity and support smuggling and human-trafficking operations.

Brigadier General Brian Filler, deputy commander for operations at Joint Task Force Southern Border, said the military recorded 378 drone incursions during the preceding 30 days, with the number continuing to rise.

“We are seeing largely commercial off-the-shelf available drones,” Filler said. He noted that surveillance cameras are commonly attached to the aircraft and that drones are frequently spotted near cross-border activity.

The military has already begun using directed-energy systems against cartel drones. Earlier in September, officials said lasers deployed along the southern border had brought down 11 drones since the technology was introduced in August.

Drawing Lessons From Ukraine

The Pentagon is also looking to Ukraine, where the extensive use of drones during the war with Russia has produced rapid advances in both offensive and defensive technology.

U.S. officials emphasize that cartel drones are far less sophisticated than many of the systems deployed on battlefields in Ukraine and the Middle East. Nevertheless, they view the border as a useful real-world environment for evaluating counter-drone equipment, training personnel and determining how the technology performs under operational conditions.

Falcon Peak also demonstrated the military’s increasing reliance on venture-backed defense companies. Since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, significant private investment has flowed into firms developing drones, autonomous systems and counter-drone technology, including Anduril, Shield AI and Saronic.

Among the systems demonstrated was Anduril’s Ghost drone. Other equipment included Teledyne FLIR’s radar and camera-based detection technology, Allen Control Systems’ automated “Bullfrog” counter-drone gun and an interceptor drone marketed by Powerus.

Powerus became a publicly traded company after completing a merger with a firm backed by the sons of President Donald Trump.

Military planners say they want to reproduce the speed with which Ukrainian forces modify and improve their systems in response to battlefield developments.

Brigadier General Matt Ross said the U.S. military has been impressed by Ukraine’s ability to adapt technology rapidly.

“We tend to look at Ukraine and we say, ‘I am so impressed with how quickly they can adapt on a daily or weekly basis,'” Ross told reporters.

He added: “What we should really do is replicate that process.”

The effort reflects a broader push by the U.S. military to accelerate development and deployment of counter-drone capabilities as inexpensive unmanned aircraft become increasingly common threats in both military and security environments.