Drones Soon to Help Monitor US BorderMay 15, 2010
El Paso Times
EL PASO -- An unarmed surveillance drone will soon be monitoring the borderland for criminals and illegal activity.
The Federal Aviation Administration announced Friday that it authorized a drone to fly back and forth between Fort Huachuca, an Army installation near Sierra Vista, Ariz., and Big Bend National Park beginning June 1, said Vincent Perez, spokesman for U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas.
It is the first of two drones the Department of Homeland Security wants to assign to the Texas border region. The drone is certified to fly over the area starting June 1, but its missions might not begin until after that, pending operator training, Perez said.
It will provide an extra layer of protection for the U.S., he said.
"It adds another layer of security. You have your boots on the ground. You have your ports of entry. You have cameras. You have sensors. The drone is like another tool in the toolbox to provide security along the border," he said.
unhappycamper comment: I wonder how long it will take them to replace the Predator with something more 'useful'.