When you charter a fishing boat, you do so in hopes of catching fish. But sometimes the unexpected happens. Fishermen are known for catching strange fish, but who would expect a fishing expedition to result in bringing a military drone back to shore?
On September 20, 2026, a group of people had hired Hot Spot Charters to go on a six-hour fishing trip off the coast of Pensacola Beach, Florida, when they spotted what the vessel’s captain initially thought was “an upside-down skiff,” according to WEAR Channel 3 News. When they got closer and brought the semi-submerged UFO on board (no small feat since it weighed 500 pounds and was completely waterlogged), they realized it was actually an unmanned drone. A nearby military base, Eglin Air Force Base, informed the news channel that the ship was a low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS). Fortunately, some of those on board had enough military experience to assume the drone could be safely recovered.
According to Eglin Air Force Base, the LUCAS drone had been missing since last Thursday. The drone was undergoing “routine scheduled testing” when it hit the water. After the group of fishermen brought the drone back to Pensacola Beach, Eglin Air Force Base officials collected it from the local sheriff’s department. Fortunately, LUCAS wasn’t the only highlight of the trip; A school of Mahi-Mahi had gathered around the drone and the charter group managed to catch six fish on the military-grade bait.
What’s wrong with LUCAS?
So what exactly is a LUCAS and why did Eglin Air Force Base test it? The LUCAS is a so-called one-way attack drone, similar to Iran’s Shahed 136 both in appearance and combat tactics: swarm enemies and ram them as quickly as possible, detonating an integrated warhead for maximum damage. As such, the LUCAS is designed to be consumable and mass-produced, much like these 3D printed drones the Navy is testing. According to the US Central Command, LUCAS entered the US weapons catalog in February this year. While the first official use of drones was during the Iran War in 2026, OSINT researchers believe they were actually used earlier during the January 2026 Operation Absolute Resolve in Venezuela.
As for the role of Eglin Air Force Base, the site is responsible for the majority of Air Force weapons testing. When a new control system or attack drone is developed, tested and prepared for deployment, it is sent to Eglin. Although the base maintains an exclusion zone so that weapons can be evaluated safely without risking civilian casualties, the LUCAS had drifted out of this zone by the time the chartered fishing boat found it. However, the air base hasn’t explained why the drone hit the water, so perhaps the LUCAS needs a little more testing before it’s ready for the Amazon-style military market.
