Army Safety Specialist Warns Drone Rush Risks Explosive Accidents

WASHINGTON — A U.S. Army explosive safety specialist warned that the Defense Department's push to adapt low-cost, expendable drones for combat may outpace basic explosive safeguards and increase accident risks.

The warning appeared in a March memo obtained by CBS News. It described how a mini-drone detonated and injured an Army Special Forces soldier.

The memo came from a civilian Army employee with more than 20 years of experience in uniform and as a civilian evaluating safety. The specialist noted that Special Forces units excel at field improvisation. But the broader effort to counter unmanned aerial threats has created pressures that could erode safety standards.

"We fully understand [Special Forces]'s ability to innovate and create tactical solutions to accomplish a mission set [or] task," the memo stated. It added that the Defense Department "is in such a rush to solve future and enduring threats related to [unmanned aerial systems]" that "basic explosive safety principles are being ignored," which "will ultimately lead to a greater risk associated with mishaps [or] accidents."

The U.S. military has used drones for decades, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Russia-Ukraine war has expanded drone warfare, prompting the U.S. to scale up cheap, lethal drone production.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth formed Joint Interagency Task Force 401 this year to speed Pentagon drone output. Late last year, the Pentagon sought industry input on producing about 300,000 drones, following President Trump's executive order for more unmanned aircraft systems.

The specialist works in the command safety office at Fort Polk, Louisiana, home to the Army's Joint Readiness Training Center. He sent the memo to the safety director at U.S. Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

The memo detailed an incident at the training center where a small explosive device on a drone detonated inside a building.

Army Col. Allie Scott of U.S. Army Special Operations Command told CBS News the specialist's comments reflected his opinion, not facts. Scott confirmed the memo's authenticity and said the injured soldier returned to duty soon after the blast.

CBS News contacted the specialist and his Fort Polk office but received no response. The network also reached the U.S. Army's Combat Readiness Center at Fort Novosel, Alabama, the main authority on safety and accident prevention.

A center spokesperson said it did not investigate because the incident did not meet the threshold of equipment damage value, permanent injury or death.

The blast happened as a soldier from the Army's 3rd Special Forces Group tried to disconnect the device during troubleshooting. He suffered minor injuries: lacerations to the arm and face, plus a concussion.

Photos in the memo showed a damaged drone and scattered gear in a cluttered workspace, evidence of how close the incident came to worse harm.

The investigator suspected static electricity or electromagnetic radiation to ordnance triggered the blast, possibly from an unsecured relay switch sending current through the drone's carbon fiber frame.

The device was an XM183 "MiniBlast" pyrotechnic cartridge from Houston-based PR Tactical Corporation, which makes pyrotechnics for military training.

Fred Laughlin of PR Tactical told CBS News the company would not comment without the full report.

The XM183 "MiniBlast" simulates combat sights and sounds in exercises. It belongs to a system of battlefield effects simulators that create realistic conditions without live munitions.

The memo said the cartridge carries a medium hazard risk due to potential fragments or shrapnel and accidental ignition. It also noted that the U.S. Army's Combat Capabilities Development Command had not issued a full material release for it.