https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/a35wkz/a-military-contractor-is-flying-spy-balloons-high-over-the-midwest > The United States military is now testing high-altitude surveillance balloons across the Midwest, according to documents a military contractor filed with the Federal Communications Commission. The news was first reported by The Guardian. > The filing states the intent of military contractor Sierra Nevada Corporation is to "provide a persistent surveillance system to locate and deter narcotics trafficking and homeland security threats.” The Guardian reported these have been launched and tested across South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Missouri, and Illinois.