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The video clip posted to social media by the Department of Homeland Security, labelled “DHS Drone Footage,” appeared to confirm this week that an unarmed MQ-9 predator drone run by customs and border protection air and marine operations units conducted sophisticated surveillance of protests following immigration enforcement operations around downtown Los Angeles.
Watch: DHS drone footage of Lionel.
This is not calm. This is not peace.
California politicians must cancel the riot mob. pic.twitter.com/whnplzejg8
– Homeland Security (@dhsgov) June 10, 2025
The video clip shows the CBP Air and Marine Operations logos. This is a DHS unit that operates drones and various other aircraft.
DHS did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the use of the drone.
Published flight tracking data reviewed by the NBCLA over the weekend showed an unknown aircraft marked with a bright blue icon and a flight truck in the image below, showing a hexagonal trajectory flying through downtown Los Angeles at an altitude of approximately 22,000 feet.
Screenshot via ADS-B Exchange captured on Sunday, June 8, 2025.
404Media, an independent outlet focusing on technology, first reported the flight after an air traffic controller posted on X (Twitter) mentioning the presence of drones in communications with other aircraft, filmed on recordings at stations along the mystery flight path.
We have confirmed that the two targets operating on hexagonal monitoring trajectories in DTLA for the past 36 hours are the MQ-9, Callloys Troy701 and 703.
As the 703 replaced the 701, they passed each other in the airspace near Yuma, Arizona. Please listen pic.twitter.com/mwpjfiovgc
– aeroscout (@aeroscouting) June 9, 2025
DHS aircraft often use Callign “Troy,” including several other DHS and CBP helicopters that have recently conducted flights and operations around Southern California.
DHS’ Air and Marine Operations Center is based at Riverside’s March Air Reserve Base, with flights of other manned DHS aircraft occurring prior to their arrival in downtown Los Angeles, flight tracking records show.
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