U.S. Border Patrol Announces sUAS Pilot Program

The steady advance of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) into real-world environments, continues.

In September, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced  a new pilot program. The program, executed by the U.S. Border Patrol, evaluates the use of sUAS within the CPB operational environment.

Tests sites, already identified, include three USBP sectors. The program kicks off within the Tucson sector with plans to expand to Rio Grande Valley and Swanton later this year.

Eyes in the sky

Border Patrol agents will use the remotely piloted sUAS for reconnaissance, intelligence, surveillance, tracking, and acquisition capabilities.

Their primary operational environment is in areas that are difficult to access or otherwise considered too high-risk for manned aircraft or CBP personnel on the ground.

“We anticipate the sUAS program to be a valuable tool for Border Patrol’s highly trained law enforcement personnel in securing our borders and helping identify and intercept illicit activity along U.S. borders,” said Carla Provost, Acting Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol.

“These aircraft will enable Border Patrol agents to surveil remote areas not easily accessible by other means, which is critical to our ability to secure the border,” Provost said. “They will also be invaluable for humanitarian missions, aiding in locating individuals in need of medical assistance along inhospitable areas of the border.”

Border Patrol sUAS program

The pilot program tests the operational effectiveness of three sUAS fixed-wing and rotorcraft: Puma, Raven and InstantEye Quadcopter.

All of the sUAS share a few common features deemed vital for operations. Each is portable, easily fitting inside an SUV, highly maneuverable and deploy rapidly.

The sUAS pilot features two rotations in each of the three identified sectors. The first rotations began in September 2017. The second starts in January 2018. The aim is to test both hot and cold weather capabilities of the sUAS.

CPB will issue a final review late Spring 2018. The review is expected to also include future investment decisions and expansion of the program to other USBP Sectors.

The End Game

The hope is that the rapid deployment of sUAS will help field agents do their job safely and effectively. The three sUAS models should deliver vital sensory and visual data to agents on the ground. Each model has a proven track record in military operations for surveillance and Force Protection missions.

The sUAS program is fully compliant with all Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations, policies and laws. USBP will operationally test the sUAS under an approved Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the FAA and USBP.

The MOA in place maximizes risk avoidance to commercial and general aviation traffic in the National Airspace System. All sUAS are to operate under a 400-foot ceiling. In addition, USBP has an approved MOA with CBP’s Air and Marine Operations further addressing operational risk avoidance in day-to-day operations.