JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J -- In an era of rapid technological advancement, the 87th Air Base Wing's small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) agency at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst is positioning the installation at the forefront of innovation. By integrating cutting-edge drone technology into daily operations, the program is revolutionizing security, safety and mission readiness.
“We are helping revolutionize the installation security, but also the safety of people that reside on the installation as well,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Derrick Downey, 87th ABW sUAS operations manager. “We have to be able to train our Airmen on how to not only use [drones], but on how to react to them. That’s what we’re really getting after here.”
The sUAS agency, led by a small, dedicated team, has become a leader within Air Mobility Command.
“During calendar year 2025, the 87th ABW had 3,652 flight hours within the SkyDio X10D platform,” said Master Sgt. Joshua Smith, 87th ABW sUAS program manager. “If you break that down, the 87th ABW completed 65% of all flight hours for AMC and 79% of all SkyDio X10D flight hours.”
This achievement is the result of the team’s deliberate focus on creating a robust training schedule. Since courses began in February 2025, sUAS trainers have certified 230 operators across 11 different units on base, demonstrating the widespread and growing demand for the technology.
Downey explained that one of the biggest benefits of the program so far is the ability to save time on daily operations, highlighting a recent roof inspection for two large hangars as an example.
“They used the drone [for an inspection] and it took about 20 minutes,” Downey said. “If they would have done it manually like they used to do, it would have taken them two weeks to do one [inspection].”
From civil engineers to security forces, the program’s efficiency extends to nearly every career field.
"You're able to do things faster, cheaper and with less people," Smith said. "It's just the implementation of getting the older generation bought into newer technology. Just because we did it a certain way for the last 40 years, there's now an easier, cheaper, safer way to do it."
Smith said the program is also a critical asset for protecting the joint base, providing an "eyes in the sky" capability that significantly improves security and response times. Drones play a crucial role in mitigating risk by eliminating the need for personnel to work at dangerous heights for inspections.
The sUAS program has also been integrated into exercises and training, providing senior leaders an opportunity to strengthen post-exercise assessments to improve action and response during future exercises and real-world events.
“Being able to use them for exercises has been very beneficial because you can record everything,” Downey said. “Leadership can then review that footage and see how people reacted to the drones, exercise injects and then see how to get better."
The team is expanding the ever-evolving program, melding its capabilities with the Tactical Assault Kit, a system that allows live drone feeds to be streamed directly to personnel on the ground. The team also has their sights set on a network of automated drone stations.
“Our future goal is to be able to have a drone in the air over any portion of our installation within 60 seconds,” Smith said.
The success at JB MDL is a reflection of a broader, Air Force-wide movement. Tech. Sgt. Sean Carnes, Air Force Public Affairs Agency sUAS program manager, noted that while only about seven PA units currently use drones, the enthusiasm is overwhelming. For his career field, drones are a powerful new tool.
“They’re essentially flying cameras, allowing us to capture angles and imagery that once required coordination with multiple outside units,” Carnes explained. “Take large group photos, for example—something that used to mean tracking down a cherry picker from [civil engineer squadrons] just to get high enough for the shot. With a sUAS, a two‑person PA team can launch the drone, get the image and wrap up the mission in minutes.”
For the local Airmen pioneering the program at JB MDL, their drive comes from being part of a pivotal moment in Air Force history.
“The thing that motivates us in executing this mission would have to be the future of where the Air Force is going,” Downey said. “Drones are not going away. If anything, it's going to become more relevant across the entire Air Force … Why not try and make it the best program possible?”
Smith shares this vision, reflecting on the long-term impact of their work.
"I'm hoping that I can look back at this in 20-30 years and think, 'We were there. We were part of that process to see what it grew into,'" Smith said. "That gives me chills thinking about that."
Through continued investment and a forward-thinking mindset, the sUAS program at JB MDL is not just adopting new technology—it is defining the future of airpower and ensuring the joint base remains ready for any challenge.