Starlink-guided narco sea drone caught doing test run with two dishes

A sea drone capable of carrying up to 1.5 tons of cocaine has been ceased by the Colombian Navy, travelling along the Caribbean coast for the first time while guided by Starlink.

The so-called narco subs are actually semi submersible vessels with just the air openings and communication antennas visible, and smaller unmanned versions have typically been caught off the Mediterranean coast.

The first such sighting of a narco sea drone in Latin America had the Colombian authorities impressed by both its size, and the presence of a Starlink satellite communication system with two antennas and cameras to transmit live footage from the engine bay or the drone's surroundings.

According to Navy Admiral Juan Ricardo Rozo, "this demonstrates an evolution in the logistical capabilities of trafficking, which seeks to surpass traditional approaches through innovation and highly adaptive means."

The cartels are likely doing test runs to gauge the viability of the Starlink guidance system, as the sea drone was empty and caught near Columbia's Caribbean coastline.

The Starlink Maritime plan for satellite Internet access in the open seas starts from just $250 a month, with its Performance dish equipment now discounted to $999 from $1,499. While this is way more than the Starlink Mini kit that is currently discounted to $314 on Amazon, pricing isn't one of the cartels' chief considerations.

Moreover, the Mini dish can still be used in coastal waters within the realm of the Starlink roaming area coverage, and at speeds of up to 100 mph.

In any case, the first discovery of a Starlink-guided narco sea drone, albeit empty and doing a test run, shows that the trafficking methods are getting increasingly sophisticated with Starlink just another tool of the trade.