The U.S. military is preparing to officially deploy laser weapons as the rise of inexpensive drones changes modern warfare strategies.

After decades of development, lasers are becoming more attractive because they can destroy targets at a much lower cost than traditional missiles.

Officials say using expensive air-defense systems against cheap drones is inefficient, while laser shots can cost only a few dollars.

The technology has faced challenges during testing, including incidents such as a laser system accidentally destroying a party balloon, Semafor has reported.

Despite past setbacks, the military sees laser weapons as a potential solution for defending against growing drone threats.