Tennessee man pleads guilty to drone bombing plot against Nashville energy infrastructure

A Tennessee man who plotted to use explosives in a drone attack on an electrical substation has pleaded guilty to federal terrorism charges, the Department of Justice announced Tuesday. Skyler Philippi, 24, of Columbia, Tennessee, admitted to attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction and attempting to destroy an energy facility. Federal prosecutors say his plans, motivated by "violent ideology," could have caused widespread power outages and jeopardized critical infrastructure, including hospitals.

The DOJ said that Philippi began discussing violent attacks in June 2024. He initially suggested a mass shooting at a YMCA in Columbia before shifting his focus to large electrical substations, which he believed could cripple regional infrastructure.

Philippi researched past substation attacks and concluded that firearms would not cause sufficient damage. Instead, he began building a plan to use explosives attached to a drone, telling associates he wanted to avoid law enforcement detection by constructing the drone himself. He also sought powerful explosives such as TATP and C-4 to carry out the strike.

In communications with undercover FBI employees, Philippi described his ambitions in extremist, antisemitic terms, referencing previous ties to white supremacist groups including Atomwaffen Division and the National Alliance. He shared a so-called manifesto calling for attacks on “high tax cities or industrial areas,” claiming such actions would cause financial chaos.

By September 2024, Philippi had scouted a specific substation, ordered explosives from undercover agents, and purchased black powder to build pipe bombs. He expressed excitement about the damage his attack would cause, texting that the substation “will go up like a fu**in fourth of July firework.”

On November 2, 2024, Philippi met undercover agents at a hotel before heading toward the substation. Prosecutors say he participated in a ritual invoking Norse gods and declared it was “time to do something big.”

As he prepared the drone and armed the explosive device, law enforcement agents moved in and arrested him. At the time of his arrest, Philippi was at the rear of a vehicle with the powered-up drone and explosives ready for deployment.

“For months, Philippi planned what he had hoped would be a devastating attack on Nashville’s energy infrastructure,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Motivated by a violent ideology, Philippi wanted ‘to do something big.’ Instead, the FBI disrupted his plans, and Philippi now awaits sentencing.”

Acting US Attorney Robert E. McGuire for the Middle District of Tennessee praised investigators, saying, “Our office is fully committed to thwarting dangerous attacks motivated by hate.”

FBI Counterterrorism Division Assistant Director Donald Holstead noted the potential severity of the attack. “Skyler Philippi planned to attack an energy facility with a drone containing explosives, which had the potential to knock out power to thousands of American homes and to critical facilities like hospitals,” Holstead said.

Philippi is scheduled to be sentenced on January 8, 2026. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

The case was investigated by the FBI Nashville Field Office and prosecuted by Assistant US Attorney Josh Kurtzman and National Security Division trial attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly.