EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — As some government officials claim cartel drones caused the unexpected and unprecedented– but ultimately temporary– closure of El Paso airspace, a border expert explains what dangers drones could pose to flights.

Mexican cartels have been flying drones along the border for about 12 years, according to Victor Manjarrez, former Yuma Border Patrol Sector Chief and now University of Texas at El Paso professor, adding that before drones, it was not uncommon to catch cartels manning flights over the border.

Manjarrez said that drones don’t typically pose a danger to the community, as cartels usual used them to spy on Border Patrol to look for weaknesses or security gaps, and they could only be a threat if they crash into a helicopter or airplane, bringing it down.

“They are generally safe; there is always that one accident, it doesn’t even have to be something intentional. It’s an accident,” Manjarrez said.

RELATED: AP: Pentagon-FAA dispute over lasers to thwart cartel drones led to airspace closure

Manjarrez noted the last time airspace was closed for days was in 2001 after 9/11.

When asked if a cartel drone would prompt a closure of 10 days– as it was first announced– Manjarrez said the U.S. needs to think ahead as drone technology evolves fast and could emerge as a more serious threat.

“I’d think we’d all agree cartels are bad actors and not good for society, but what if it’s worse than that, so, not knowing the intelligence behind [the closure], there are so many scenarios that I think as a nation we have to be prepared for [and] as a city or a region we should plan for,” Manjarrez said.

Despite not knowing the specifics of what prompted the flight restrictions, Manjarrez agrees with many leaders, saying that the decision should’ve included communication between government officials at the federal, state and local levels.

RELATED: El Paso mayor criticizes FAA over airspace shutdown; called it ‘unnecessary decision’

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