Baton Rouge Police Acquire Military Surveillance Drone

Concerns raised over militarization of local law enforcement and expanded surveillance capabilities

Feb. 4, 2026 at 7:23pm

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The Baton Rouge Police Department has acquired a Stalker VXE30 drone, a military-grade surveillance UAV designed by Lockheed Martin and Edge Autonomy. This makes Baton Rouge one of the first local police departments in the U.S. to deploy such an advanced drone with extensive surveillance capabilities, raising concerns about the militarization of law enforcement and the potential for expanded mass surveillance.

Why it matters

The use of military-grade surveillance drones by local police departments represents a troubling escalation in the ongoing trend of law enforcement acquiring and utilizing military-grade equipment. This raises significant civil liberties concerns around privacy, transparency, and public oversight of police surveillance tactics.

The details

The Stalker VXE30 drone has capabilities that far exceed standard police drones, including extended range, speed, and flight time. Police Chief TJ Morse stated the drone can be "miles away, but we can still have a camera looking at your face, so we can use it for surveillance operations." Similar drone models have been used in military operations around the world for long-range reconnaissance.

  • The Baton Rouge Police Department announced the acquisition of the Stalker VXE30 drone in February 2026.

The players

Baton Rouge Police Department

The local law enforcement agency in Baton Rouge, Louisiana that has acquired the military-grade Stalker VXE30 surveillance drone.

Lockheed Martin

A major American aerospace, arms, defense, information security, and technology corporation that designed the Stalker VXE30 drone.

Edge Autonomy

A company that partnered with Lockheed Martin to manufacture the Stalker VXE30 drone, which the Baton Rouge Police Department has acquired.

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What they’re saying

“It can be miles away, but we can still have a camera looking at your face, so we can use it for surveillance operations.”

— TJ Morse, Police Chief, Baton Rouge Police Department (WBRZ ABC2)

What’s next

The Baton Rouge community must put policies in place that restrict and provide oversight of any possible uses of this drone, as well as any potential additions law enforcement might make. The Electronic Frontier Foundation has filed a public records request to learn more about the conditions of this acquisition and gaps in oversight policies.

The takeaway

The acquisition of a military-grade surveillance drone by the Baton Rouge Police Department represents a dangerous escalation in the militarization of local law enforcement and the expansion of mass surveillance capabilities. This development underscores the urgent need for robust public oversight, transparency, and restrictions on the use of such advanced surveillance technologies by police departments.