Military Drones Support Lone Star State Flood Recovery

MQ-9 Reaper UAVs aid search and rescue operations as record floods devastate Central Texas.

Ryan Ewing

Monday, July 07, 2025 at 04:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

An MQ-9 drone. [Credit: Texas Military Department]

Key Takeaways:

The Texas Military Department deployed an MQ-9 Reaper drone to assist search and rescue operations in flood-affected Kerr County and surrounding regions.
The drone provided crucial "eye in the sky" situational awareness and persistent incident assessment, significantly aiding rescue teams in conducting over 525 rescues and evacuations.
Its deployment involved special coordination with the FAA, which approved a temporary flight restricted area at a lower altitude to bypass adverse weather conditions.

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The Texas Military Department has deployed unmanned aerial systems (UAVs) to assist in search and rescue efforts following severe flooding in Kerr County and surrounding regions. The floods have caused significant damage and prompted widespread evacuations as emergency teams continue operations across affected areas.

In a statement delivered during a press briefing on Sunday, Major General Thomas Suelzer, who serves as the adjutant general of Texas, detailed the deployment of an MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft.