The Texas Military Department has deployed MQ-9 remotely piloted aircraft to aid in flood response efforts in Kerr County. The MQ-9s are operated by the Houston-based 147th Attack Wing and bring high-resolution imagery and long loiter time over the disaster area. The well-known UAV which has been a staple of foreign conflicts offers significant advantages in a disaster response role.
Ongoing Disaster Response Efforts
The MQ-9 joined many other military and public aircraft assets that include UH-60 helicopters and Coast Guard MH-65 helicopters. In addition to these drones, it seems that social media also has many news channels operating drones over the disaster area, providing a unique perspective to understand the scale of the disaster. The MQ-9 ordinarily is equipped with advanced Electro-optical/Infrared (EO/IR) camera equipment and can carry additional sensor equipment on external hard-points. It is unknown if any additional sensors are deployed on these Texas MQ-9s.
Regions of Texas are known for their risk of flash floods, where dry ground can quickly be saturated by heavy rainfall causing the rapid rise of waters in flood prone areas. Over 100 individuals, 28 of them children, have been killed in recent flooding. Recovery efforts are ongoing, with increasing focus steadily shifting to assessment of early response efforts and emergency warnings. Over 160 people are still missing as of 9 July 2025.
Liam McKeever
Liam is the Director of UDS Aviation. He leads the firm's operations, media, and platform development across civil and defense aviation sectors.
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