DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. – The Air Traffic Control Tower at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base is home to DM’s eyes in the sky, air traffic controllers.
On April 30, 2024, the tower was notified of an unauthorized drone flying above the base exchange and the ATC acted quickly to get it out of the air space.
After clearing a helicopter for take off the aircraft radioed the tower to notify them that there was an unmanned drone flying at roughly 3,000 feet in the base’s airspace. Senior Airman Kevin Kwalek, 355th Operational Support Squadron Air Traffic Controller, confirmed the sighting and reported it to 355th Security Forces Squadron.
“We train for situations like this daily in our high-tech simulator,’ said Kwalek. “Ensuring that the airspace remains clear of any and all unauthorized aircraft is a critical part of our job.”
Training in the ATC simulator is a required part of all controllers training at every level. Becoming a fully rated controller and obtaining their 5-level is a challenging task and simulator experience is necessary to ensure Airmen are equipped to respond to any situation.
Security Forces was dispatched and ensured the drone had exited DM’s airspace before calling the all clear.
“The tower is essential for maintaining safety not only in the skies but also on the ground,” said Kwalek. “We take safety and security very seriously and it is our number one priority.”
The drone spotting proved controllers are equipped with the knowledge of how to properly report and react to any abnormalities in the skies and maintain the safety of all Airmen at DM.