Fishing Boat in Florida Nets Unexpected Catch: U.S. Military Drone

A fishing boat recently reeled in an unexpected catch in the Gulf waters off Florida, finding a U.S. military drone amidst their haul of mahi-mahi, snapper, and grouper. The discovery was made by Daniel Arsenault, a 36-year-old charter captain, who initially thought the object resembled an upside-down boat. He realized it was a drone while fishing with military helicopter pilots who identified it as a target drone.

Arsenault explained, “That’s why I kind of felt confident in picking it up,” mentioning that the catch also included mahi-mahi hooked near the drone. The team then returned to dock, photographed the drone alongside the day’s catch, and surrendered it to the sheriff’s department, who transferred it to the government.

A photo posted by Hot Spots Charters on Facebook featured the large gray drone alongside a table of fish, captioned: “Great 6 hour today with this crew! If anyone is looking for their drone, please call Hot Spots!”

A spokesperson for Eglin Air Force Base informed AFP that a LUCAS drone — short for Low-cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System — entered the water during a routine test conducted on September 17. The spokesperson confirmed, “The aircraft has been recovered and is back in the (Defense) Department’s possession.” The base regularly carries out exercises in the Gulf, including a munitions test scheduled this week.

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) revealed that a task force equipped with LUCAS drones was established in late 2025 in the Middle East. These drones were deployed in combat in February during joint U.S.-Israel operations against Iran. CENTCOM’s Task Force Scorpion Strike pioneered the use of one-way attack drones during Operation Epic Fury, modeled after Iran’s Shahed drones.

Iranian forces have utilized Shahed drones against U.S. troops in the Middle East, while Russia has employed them in Ukraine. This is not the first occurrence of an unusual catch off the Florida coast. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor previously caught 70 pounds of cocaine, valued at over $1 million, during a Florida Keys fishing trip in 2023.