Iran is reportedly developing a decentralized drone warfare capability that could threaten the U.S. homeland, with experts warning of potential sleeper cell attacks within months.
Iran is reportedly establishing a decentralized drone warfare capability, utilizing inexpensive technology sourced from China, according to defense expert Cameron Chell of Draganfly. This emerging system, centered on first-person-view (FPV) drones, poses a potential threat not only across the Middle East but also to the U.S. homeland.
“The FPVs are Iran’s Hail Mary because they are very hard to defend, are incredibly effective, and can be delivered in a manner without having to have a central command,” Chell told Fox News Digital. He emphasized that various groups, including the Iranian army, militia factions, and even Iranian patriots, could independently create or procure these FPVs for offensive operations.
Chell warned that Iran could ramp up production to over 100,000 FPV drones per month. He noted, “Iran’s got either militias or sleeper cells in the states who can, in my estimation, already build this equipment.”
His warning comes amid recent incidents in Iraq that highlight the increasing use of FPVs. Iranian-backed militias operating under the “Iraqi Islamic Resistance” umbrella have launched multiple drone attacks, including one at Baghdad International Airport. Footage from March 2026 allegedly shows an FPV drone striking a U.S. Black Hawk helicopter, while another attack successfully targeted a U.S. radar unit at the same base.
“FPVs are a central core theme, and Iran is building these itself, suspecting they’re pulling parts in from China and getting the parts through some pretty porous borders. So, it is very difficult to stop that,” Chell explained.
He further warned that Iran’s strategy mirrors developments seen in Ukraine, where decentralized drone manufacturing has flourished. “There will be, or already is, an underground industry for FPV and drone manufacturing, which will or is swelling up inside Iran, the exact same way that we saw it swell up inside Ukraine,” he said. “This is going to be happening in people’s homes in Iran, people’s basements, the basements of apartment blocks, where they can construct makeshift assembly lines.”
Chell expressed confidence that China and Russia are supplying parts to support the development of Iran’s drone manufacturing capabilities, creating a decentralized cottage industry.
Concerns about these developments extend beyond overseas battlefields. Approximately 1,500 Iranians were intercepted at the U.S. border during the Biden administration, raising alarms about the unknown number who evaded detection and the potential for sleeper cells within the United States.
Former President Donald Trump acknowledged the issue on March 11, stating, “A lot of people came in through Biden with his stupid open border, but we know where most of them are: We’ve got our eye on all of them, I think.”
Chell warned that Iran’s drone capabilities signify the beginning of an asymmetric threat that could be used against U.S. assets both regionally and domestically. “We may even want to call it terrorist attacks, using FPVs against their neighbors and practically anywhere in the world,” he said. “It’s a matter of when we see FPV attacks, probably swarm, probably sophisticated, on U.S. soil.”
He predicts that within the next eight months, Iran will possess sophisticated drone systems capable of overcoming certain radio frequency jamming tactics. “They will start to use tactics like swarming or spoofing,” he cautioned. “It will be very, very difficult for the U.S. to take out these little drone factories in the basements of apartment blocks where civilians help. Cutting supply chains will also be difficult.”
Chell concluded by highlighting the importance of establishing supply chains from China to enable Iran to develop precision mass capabilities and a consistent asymmetric threat. “If this happens, the war between Iran and the U.S. just gets a lot longer,” he stated.
These insights underscore the growing complexity of the geopolitical landscape and the potential implications for U.S. national security, as experts continue to monitor Iran’s evolving drone warfare capabilities, according to Fox News.