Dr. Bunker participated on the 'Countering the Criminal Drone Threat in the Americas' Panel for the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)

On 20 November 2025, the C/O Futures Director of Research and Analysis--Dr. Robert J. Bunker--participated on the Countering the Criminal Drone Threat in the Americas Panel for the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, DC. The virtual event description is as follows:

"The adoption of Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UASs) by nonstate armed groups throughout the Americas poses new challenges for security and stabilization efforts in the Americas. In countries like Mexico, Colombia, and increasingly Brazil and Ecuador, criminals are employing drones to gather intelligence, smuggle contraband, and strike at rivals, civilians, and state forces alike. While important steps have been taken to counteract these criminal drones, the region as a whole remains on the back foot, in need of additional countermeasures as well as updated doctrine to fight back against the rising UAS tide. 

This event will focus on the nature of the criminal drone challenge, the groups at the forefront of UAS deployment in the Western Hemisphere, and what the United States, along with its allies in the region can do to push back." (CSIS)

The other participants were:

Henry Ziemer (Moderator)

Associate Fellow, Americas Program

Elizabeth Dickinson (Panelist)

Senior Analyst, Andes, Crisis Group

Alfonso Camacho-Martinez (Panelist)

National Security Fellow, Middlebury Institute for International Studies

The 59:25 minute video of the event can be accessed here: https://www.csis.org/events/countering-criminal-drone-threat-americas

A news report covering the event is as follows and can be accessed here:

Julian Resendiz, "Border Report: Cartel drone attacks growing exponentially in Mexico, Colombia." Fox 5 News San Diego. 21 November 2025, https://fox5sandiego.com/news/border-report/cartel-drone-attacks-growing-exponentially-in-mexico-colombia/