US troops test upgraded Perennial Autonomy Bumblebee interceptor on southern border

What's the deal? US troops have staged Perennial AutonomyDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →'s upgraded Bumblebee Version 2 interceptor drone for testing near Chaparral, New Mexico, as part of Joint Task Force-Southern Border operations. Imagery of the October 2026 test activities was released on 4 November 2026. The Version 2 drone destroys hostile drones by flying into them and uses AI-driven target recognition to pick out targets.

Why it matters: The Bumblebee is a low-cost intercept drone designed to counter small hostile UAS including drug-smuggling drones crossing the southern US border, where an earlier Bumblebee version is already in use. The Version 2 upgrade extends the interceptor's capability ahead of wider fielding, and follows Perennial Autonomy's first-place finish in the deep-strike category of the US Drone Dominance programme's Gauntlet II fly-off.

Read more: Defence Blog