A Tennessee man has pleaded guilty to federal terrorism charges after plotting a drone attack on an electrical substation in a plan that could have caused widespread blackouts and threatened critical infrastructure, including hospitals.
Skyler Philippi, 24, of Columbia, admitted to attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction and attempting to destroy an energy facility, the Department of Justice announced Tuesday. Prosecutors say Philippi was motivated by a “violent ideology” and harbored ties to white supremacist groups, including Atomwaffen Division and the National Alliance.
The FBI says Philippi began discussing violent attacks in mid-2024, initially considering a mass shooting at a YMCA before shifting his focus to high-impact infrastructure targets. After researching past attacks, he determined firearms wouldn’t do enough damage. He turned to explosives and drones, building a plan to deploy a homemade drone equipped with TATP and C-4.
Philippi communicated his plans with undercover FBI agents, even sharing a manifesto that called for chaos in “high tax cities” and industrial zones. He praised the potential financial damage such attacks could cause. By fall 2024, he had scouted a specific substation, ordered explosives, and acquired materials to construct pipe bombs.
On November 2, 2024, Philippi met agents at a hotel before traveling toward his intended target. According to the DOJ, he participated in a Norse pagan ritual and declared, “It’s time to do something big.” As he prepared to deploy the drone, agents arrested him. At the time of arrest, the drone was fully powered with explosives attached.
Philippi is scheduled to be sentenced on January 8, 2026. He faces life in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Federal officials praised the FBI for thwarting what they called a serious and imminent threat to public safety and the national power grid.
