by ▪

on May 4, 2026

MAGNET S2 INTELLIGENCE REPORT

Subject: Dual Drone Theft Assessment – Fort Campbell Military ISR Systems and New Jersey Industrial Spray Drones

Purpose: Document two separate drone theft incidents occurring within the same threat window, assess stolen system capabilities, evaluate probability of connection, and identify security implications for MAGNET operators.

DTG: 260504-1200Z

Geographic Focus: Fort Campbell KY / Harrison NJ / CONUS Homeland Security

Sources: U.S. Army CID; 101st Airborne Division; The High Side; DroneXL; Fox News; Defense Scoop; Military Times; NJ State Police; 6ABC; RedState; Skydio; Ceres Air

Prompted by: AmRRON AIB-260427- 1500Z

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SUMMARY (BLUF)

TWO DRONE THEFT INCIDENTS – SAME THREAT WINDOW – DIFFERENT METHODS –

CONNECTION UNCONFIRMED BUT NOT DISMISSIBLE

Two significant drone theft incidents occurred between November 2025 and March 2026, overlapping with the active U.S.–Iran conflict and elevated homeland threat environment.

INCIDENT ONE – Fort Campbell, KY (November 2025): Four Skydio X10D

military-grade ISR drones stolen from the 326th Division Engineer Battalion, 101st Airborne Division. Theft was insider-enabled. Two suspects identified by Army CID. No arrests confirmed. Drones remain unrecovered as of this reporting period. Combined estimated value: $112,000–$400,000.

INCIDENT TWO – Harrison, NJ (March 2026): Fifteen Ceres Air C31 industrial agricultural spray drones, valued at approximately $870,000, stolen from CAC International logistics facility using forged documents.

FBI counterterrorism division, HSI, and CBP took the case. All 15 drones physically recovered April 27 at Prudent Corporation in Dover, NJ — where they had sat undisturbed since the day of the theft.

No arrests made. Federal investigation remains active and open.

A direct operational connection between the two incidents is assessed as UNLIKELY based on available OSINT. The theft methodologies, skill sets, and outcomes diverge significantly. However, this assessment

carries LOW CONFIDENCE. Motive in both cases remains publicly unresolved.

CURRENT STATUS:

Fort Campbell – Drones Recovered: NO – STILL MISSING

Fort Campbell – Arrests Made: NO – SUSPECTS IDENTIFIED ONLY

Fort Campbell – Investigation: ACTIVE / OPEN (Army CID)

New Jersey – Drones Recovered: YES – ALL 15 RECOVERED 27 APR

New Jersey – Arrests Made: NO – NO SUSPECTS NAMED PUBLICLY

New Jersey – Investigation: ACTIVE / OPEN (FBI / HSI / CBP)

Connection Between Incidents: UNCONFIRMED – ASSESSED UNLIKELY / LOW CONFIDENCE

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BACKGROUND

The Skydio X10D is a next-generation nano-class military ISR platform currently fielded across all U.S. military branches and 29 allied nations under the Army’s Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) Tranche 2 program. In March 2026 the Army placed a $52+ million order for over 2,500 X10D systems — the largest single-vendor tactical sUAS order in Army history. The four stolen units were assigned to the 326th Division Engineer Battalion at Fort Campbell. The theft occurred November 21–24, 2025, but was not publicly disclosed for 109 days.

The Ceres Air C31 is a U.S.-manufactured industrial agricultural spray drone capable of dispensing 31 gallons of liquid across 15 acres in eight minutes along a pre-programmed GPS route. The U.S. Army identified agricultural spray drone platforms in a 2020 report as viable delivery systems for chemical or biological agents. The 15 stolen units were stored at CAC International, a logistics and shipping facility in Harrison, NJ, before being removed by a fraudulent delivery driver on March 24, 2026.

Both incidents occurred during the active U.S.–Iran conflict and elevated FBI homeland threat posture, including reporting that Iran was considering drone-based attacks on U.S. infrastructure and California targets.

This report was promted by AmRRON AIB-260427- 1500Z

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SITUATION (SOURCE-ONLY)

INCIDENT ONE – Fort Campbell:

– Army CID confirmed the theft was a targeted act. Suspects had authorized installation access and specifically defeated locks on storage cages inside a secured government building. (101st Airborne Division, Army.mil, 12 March 2026)

– Four Skydio X10D systems stolen between November 21–24, 2025 from Building 6955, A Shau Valley Road, Fort Campbell. Serial numbers publicly documented: 1668CR40EA005D58D; 1668CR40EA00B5DDD; 1668CR40EA003S9SD; 1668CR40EA00F29AD. (Army CID Reward Notice, 10 March 2026)

– Surveillance imagery shows two suspects in head coverings and dark clothing. Two vehicles identified: light four-door sedan and dark four-door truck. (Army CID, March 2026)

– As of March 12, 2026: two suspects identified, credible evidence gathered on possible drone whereabouts. No arrests confirmed. Investigation active. (101st Airborne Division, Army.mil)

– Theft not publicly disclosed for approximately 109 days. Building doors and locks replaced. (Army.mil)

INCIDENT TWO – New Jersey:

– Fifteen Ceres Air C31 agricultural spray drones stolen from CAC International in Harrison, NJ on March 24, 2026. Theft executed using a fraudulent bill of lading and fake confirmation email presented by a bogus delivery driver. (The High Side / DroneXL, April 2026)

– No forced entry. Moving 15 drones weighing 90–170 lbs each required a truck, lifting equipment, and advance knowledge of the warehouse layout — indicating prior planning. (DroneXL, April 2026)

– FBI counterterrorism division, Homeland Security Investigations, and Customs and Border Protection took the case. FBI’s Newark field office declined all public comment. (DroneXL / Fox News)

– Retired FBI agent Steve Lazarus: “These aren’t hobby drones with cameras. They’re industrial sprayers designed to carry and disperse significant amounts of liquid quickly and with precision. The bureau is freaked out for a good reason.” (The High Side, April 2026)

– April 27, 2026: NJ State Police Cargo Theft Unit recovered all 15 drones at Prudent Corporation warehouse, Dover, NJ — approximately 30 miles from the theft location. Drones had apparently been there since the day of the theft. Workers noticed them and called police. (NJ State Police statement; 6ABC, April 2026)

– No arrests announced. FBI, HSI, and CBP investigation remains active and open. Intended end use of the aircraft has not been publicly established. (DroneXL, 27 April 2026)

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COMMENTS / ASSESSMENT

STOLEN SYSTEM THREAT PROFILES:

The Skydio X10D is not a consumer drone. It is a combat-capable ISR platform with AI-driven autonomous navigation, FLIR Boson+ thermal imaging capable of detecting human heat signatures in complete darkness, GPS-denied autonomous flight via Visual Inertial Odometry, ATAK integration for real-time tactical data streaming, and AES-256 encryption. It can operate autonomously, track subjects without continuous operator input, and resist electronic warfare and GPS jamming. In unauthorized hands it represents a capable persistent surveillance platform requiring minimal operator training.

The Ceres Air C31 is a precision liquid dispersal platform purpose-built for large-volume payload delivery along a pre-programmed GPS route at low altitude. The U.S. Army and retired federal law enforcement have explicitly identified agricultural spray drones as viable vectors for chemical or biological agent dispersal. The autonomous GPS-guided flight profile requires no pilot during a dispersal run.

CONNECTION ASSESSMENT:

Factors against connection: fundamentally different theft methods (insider physical access vs. document fraud); different required skill sets; different target types and threat applications; geographic separation of ~700 miles; the NJ drones sat untouched for 34 days before recovery, inconsistent with a coordinated actor with a specific operational plan; Fort Campbell suspects had authorized military installation access — incompatible with a logistics document fraudster profile.

Factors keeping the door open: both incidents occurred within the same threat window overlapping with the U.S.–Iran conflict; both platforms are specifically flagged by U.S. counterterrorism analysts as dual-use weapons delivery candidates; the NJ theft required sophisticated logistics and document forgery — not opportunistic; the FBI elevated the NJ case to its counterterrorism division; Fort Campbell drones remain unrecovered with publicly unknown motive; Iranian clerics called for retaliatory attacks and FBI issued warnings about Iranian drone attack aspirations on U.S. targets.

BOTTOM LINE: A direct connection is UNLIKELY but analytically unresolvable from open-source intelligence alone. The more productive question is not whether these incidents connect to each other, but whether either connects to a third actor or network not yet visible in public reporting. That cannot be determined from OSINT alone.

NOTE: The Army’s characterization of the X10D as “small drones with cameras” significantly understates operational capability. The thermal, autonomous tracking, and GPS-denied flight capabilities are not disclosed in Army public statements but are documented in Skydio technical specifications and DoD procurement records.

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MITIGATION RECOMMENDATIONS

– Report any sightings of small quadcopter drones exhibiting autonomous tracking behavior, GPS-denied flight, or thermal imaging operations near sensitive locations to Army CID Fort Campbell at (931) 801-0316 or anonymously at www.p3tips.com/armycid

– Report large agricultural-style multi-rotor platforms (6–8 rotor, ATV-sized) operating in unusual locations, at night, or near populated areas to local law enforcement and FBI at tips.fbi.gov

– MAGNET operators with RF monitoring capability: the Skydio X10D uses multiband radio with dynamic frequency switching — anomalous broadband RF in otherwise quiet areas may indicate drone operations

– Four Fort Campbell X10D units with documented serial numbers remain at large — any secondary market encounter with Skydio X10D units should be reported

– Recovery of the NJ drones does not mean the case is closed — federal investigation into who commissioned the theft and what the intended end use was remains active and open

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MAGNET GUIDANCE / MESSAGE / CONTACT INFO

MAGNET operators should maintain situational awareness of both incidents. No elevated operational posture is required at this time. The NJ drones have been physically recovered though the federal

investigation remains open. The Fort Campbell military ISR systems remain missing with no confirmed arrests. Operators with RF monitoring capability or direct knowledge related to either investigation are encouraged to report through established channels. Submit reports through established MAGNET situational awareness channels. To Learn More About MAGNET, Visit www.MAGNETHF.COM

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