Homeland Security Insider
Look, No Hands!

By Col. Timothy D. Ringgold – June 2007

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Unmanned aerial vehicles can be wave of the future for patrolling borders

An increasing number of federal agencies are pursuing plans to use unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to help patrol the Mexican and Canadian borders, protect the nation's major oil and gas pipelines, and aid in other homeland security missions.

Securing America 's borders is one of the cornerstone missions of the Department of Homeland Security. The problem, of course, is that with limited manpower, patrolling thousands of miles of border can be a major task unto itself. Even with 170,000+ employees, DHS has its hands full -- 750 million people travel on commercial aircraft each year in the US , and more than 710 million pieces of baggage are being screened for explosives each year. That's in addition to the 11.4 million trucks and 2.3 million rail cars that cross into the US each year, or the 7,500 foreign flagships that make 51,000 calls in US ports annually. The Department is finding it tough to manage these risks and still provide adequate patrol of the combined 6,000 miles of border between the US , Canada , Mexico , and the additional thousands of miles up and down the East and West Coasts .

In addition to Border Patrol agents, our borders are monitored and protected by video cameras, ground sensors, physical barriers, land vehicles, and manned aircraft. The diverse nature of US border defense is challenged by an equally diverse array of threats ranging from terrorists to drug smugglers, arms dealers, and human traffickers. Past difficulties in securing the borders in conjunction with fears that terrorists could exploit existing security vulnerabilities by surreptitiously crossing the borders has prompted DHS to examine the potential use of UAVs.

There are two primary types of UAVs: drones and remotely piloted vehicles (RPVs). Both drones and RPVs are pilotless, but drones are programmed for autonomous flight. RPVs are actively flown — remotely — by a ground control operator. Historically, UAVs have been used in various military settings outside of US borders. UAVs provide reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition, search and rescue, and battle damage assessments. In Afghanistan and Iraq , UAVs are not only used for surveillance, but also attack. The Predator UAV, for example, was armed with anti-tank weapons and used to attack the Taliban and Al Qaeda.

UAVs can fill a gap in our ability to monitor our borders. In particular, the technical capabilities of UAVs can improve surveillance coverage along remote sections. Electro-Optical (EO) sensors (cameras) can identify an object the size of a milk carton from an altitude of 60,000 feet. UAVs also can provide precise and real-time imagery to a ground control operator, who then disseminates that information so that informed decisions regarding the deployment of border patrol agents can be made quickly.

Another benefit of a UAV system is improved loiter capability. The Predator B used in tests along the Arizona Border can fly for more than thirty hours without having to refuel. The UAV's ability to loiter for prolonged periods of time has important operational advantages over manned aircraft. The longer flight time of UAVs means that sustained coverage over a previously exposed area may improve border security. UAVs are less expensive than manned aircraft used for border security. The unit cost of UAVs varies widely. The Shadow UAV costs $400,000 while the Predator costs $5 million. In contrast, the unit cost of a P-3 manned aircraft used by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement is $36 million. Blackhawk helicopters, frequently used on the borders, cost $9 million per unit. However, the benefit of the Blackhawk's relative low unit cost is diminished by its lack of endurance. Blackhawks have a maximum endurance of 2 hours and 18 minutes. Consequently, a UAV's longer dwell time would allows it to patrol the border longer.

The range of UAVs is a significant asset when compared to border agents on patrol or stationery surveillance equipment. If an illegal border entrant attempts to transit through dense woods or mountainous terrain, UAVs are significantly more capable of tracking the violator with thermal detection sensors than the stationary video equipment currently employed. It is important to note, however, that rough terrain and dense foliage can degrade the images produced by sensory equipment – whether employed on a manned or unmanned aircraft -- and thus limit their effectiveness of any aerial platform in border operations. However, the extended range and endurance offered by UAVs can lesson the burdens on human resources at the borders.

Despite potential benefits UAVs offer for homeland security, various problems encountered in the past, like the high accident rate, still hinder full UAV implementation. Currently, the UAV accident rate is 100 times higher than that of manned aircraft. Because UAV technology is still evolving, there is less redundancy built into their operating systems compared to manned aircraft, and until redundant systems are perfected, mishap rates are expected to remain high. Additionally, if control systems fail in a manned aircraft, a well-trained pilot is better positioned to find the source of the problem because of his/her physical proximity. If a UAV encounters a similar system failure, or if a UAV landing is attempted during difficult weather conditions, the ground control pilot is at a disadvantage, because he or she is removed from the event. Unlike a manned pilot, the remote pilot is not be able to assess important sensory information like wind speed.

UAVs are also used in domestic settings. NASA deploys civilian UAVs to monitor pollution and measure ozone levels. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is developing video camera guidance for locating and identifying toxic substances. The Department of Energy has outfitted UAVs with radiation sensors to detect potential nuclear reactor accidents.

How UAVs could be integrated into civilian airspace within the US is a fundamental question that needs to be addressed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and DHS. Integrating UAVs into civilian airspace safely requires, not only the creation of regulatory guidelines by the FAA, but also technical developments. A primary concern is whether UAVs can operate in already crowded airspace. Before UAVs can be introduced into national airspace, the FAA, DHS, and other relevant users will need to address collision-avoidance, communications, and weather related issues.

A final potential question pertains to civil liberties like personal privacy. Some are concerned that UAVs deployed over the United States may provide government agencies a new ability to clandestinely monitor citizens.

This article originally appeared in the June 2007 issue of Security Products pg. 70.

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