David Marino reports
U.S. Border Patrol utilizing latest technology

Posted: Nov 12, 2008 04:46 PM PST


The U.S. Border Patrol is utilizing the latest technology to keep our borders safe.

That includes using several unmanned aircrafts to watch the border from up above. Peter McNall, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, says the new technology is revolutionary.

"It allows us to stand off and survey the border at a level of persistence we've never had before," says McNall.

Four of the planes are stationed at Fort Huachuca. They fly five times a week for up to eight hours at a time. The aircraft is equipped with a high tech camera, and operated by a pilot via a ground control system.

"Probably out to about 15 miles we've been able to see backpacks on individuals that would probably indicate a narcotics load within the United States. We can move in as close as two or three miles and still maintain a level of covertness, which is what we want," says McNall.

The camera is actually underneath the aircraft. It's worth more than $2 million and was made by Raytheon.

Gus Soto, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, says the new technology speeds up the searching process.

"What this allows us to do is to look in areas that may be so remote that it may take an agent three or four hours to get to. The big thing for us is to be able to classify immediately whether it's narcotics we'll send agents with the proper resources to interdict it safely," says Soto.

Border Patrol is expected to add more of the unmanned aircraft to their resources in the future.

"Right now they're more limited, but we are getting more agents, more aircrafts, and basically more resources for Customs and Border Protection," says Soto.

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