A U.S. military drone crashed near a training ground known as Hohenfels, in Oberpfalz, in the German state of Bavaria, according lo local media reports on Wednesday.

The unmanned aircraft, which had disappeared off the radar for three days, had landed in a deserted area. The U.S. Army is not releasing any further information as to the type of drone, nor are they commenting on whether German officials are helping them search for the parts.

The crash indicates that U.S. drones were operating without a license or permit outside of the training area. In February, an errant “Hunter” flying between the towns of  Grafenwohr and Vilseck raised eyebrows, causing consternation among local residents.

A U.S. Army spokesman assured the Bavarian media that the Hunter had strayed in error.  

“U.S. army personnel must be properly trained and certified according to the Grafenwohr training ground guidelines and restrictions  before operating any more flights,” Lt. Brian Carlin said.

The U.S. Army divulged just last year that they were conducting tests of three types of drones in Oberpfalz which are allowed to fly in German airspace.

The “Joint Multinational Training Command” (JMTC) is responsible for all training operations in Vilseck. According to the Command, the training also includes tests for airstrike drones. But the U.S. Army and the German Defense Ministry both deny any surveillance component in the operations over northern Bavaria.