Border Patrol via Drones Not Effective, IG Says
The CBP’s unmanned aerial program includes the Predator B aircraft, as well as ground control stations, pilots, sensor operators, video cameras, land and maritime radar, and communication equipment. (CBP Photo)
A new report by the Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General’s office finds that use of unmanned aerial drones to patrol the U.S./Mexico border is not effective. The Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Unmanned Aircraft System program has been in operation for eight years.
Problems include a lack of performance measures and sky-high operational costs, according to the report, which was issued January 6. “Specifically, the unmanned aircraft are not meeting flight hour goals, and we found little or no evidence CBP has met its program expectations,” the report said. “We estimate it costs $12,255 per flight hour to operate the program; CBP’s calculation of $2,468 per flight hour does not include all operating costs.”
The $443 million CBP plans to spend on program expansion could be put to better use by using alternative technologies, the IG concluded.
Read the full report below.
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