Anti-Drone Laser in Palm Beach Will Protect Trump, Mar-a-Lago

Pentagon is reportedly weighing the use of similar systems across the U.S.

Jack Daleo

Wednesday, April 01, 2026 at 01:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. [Credit: White House]

Key Takeaways:

An anti-drone laser system has been installed near Palm Beach International Airport to protect President Trump, Mar-a-Lago, and commercial aircraft, amidst a rise in suspicious drone activity over U.S. military bases.
This C-UAS (counter-uncrewed aircraft system) mechanism uses direct energy weapons, like invisible lasers, to shoot down or jam drones, and similar systems are being considered or deployed at other sensitive U.S. locations.
Previous military deployments of anti-drone lasers have led to unexpected airspace closures and coordination issues with aviation authorities, prompting new guidelines to streamline C-UAS activities and extend permissions to state and local entities.

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A strange-looking installation atop a building near Palm Beach International Airport (KPBI) in Florida was revealed Tuesday to be an anti-drone laser, intended to protect President Donald Trump, his Mar-a-Lago estate, and commercial aircraft amid a rise in suspicious activity over U.S. military bases.

WPTV-TV in Palm Beach said it confirmed that the device is a counter-uncrewed aircraft system (C-UAS) mechanism, though it is unclear when it was installed or whether it has been used.