Overview
- President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed that the Navy and the Army are running research and development programs to produce unmanned aircraft.
- The Navy’s project is coordinated with the national science and innovation secretariat and involves Mexican research institutions.
- The Army is developing its drones internally, leveraging its legal remit to produce and procure military equipment.
- Officials said the aircraft are intended for surveillance and related security tasks, including countering criminal groups’ drone use, and released no technical specifications or deployment timelines.
- Sheinbaum tied the initiatives to a proposed 2026 budget shift that prioritizes science, education and culture, with resources potentially reallocated from the Judiciary and some autonomous bodies.