U.S. Customs and Border Protection Predator Fact Sheet

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Office of Air and Marine, or OAM, operates the highly capable and proven Predator B unmanned aircraft system (UAS) in support of law enforcement and homeland security missions at the  nation’s borders.

OAM selected the Predator B, manufactured by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, for its unique combination of operational capabilities, payload capacity, mission flexibility, potential to accommodate new sensor packages, and its safety and performance record with other federal agencies.

The CBP UAS programme focuses operations on the CBP priority mission of anti-terrorism by helping to identify and intercept potential terrorists and  illegal cross-border activity. The remotely piloted Predator B allows OAM personnel to safely conduct missions in areas that are difficult to access or otherwise too high-risk for manned aircraft or CBP ground personnel.

The system also supports disaster relief efforts of its Department of Homeland Security partners, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Coast Guard. The Predator B’s capability to provide high-quality streaming video to first responders, and to assess critical infrastructure before and after events, makes it an ideal aircraft to support emergency preparations and recovery operations. The OAM Predator B mapped the flooded Red River Valley areas of North Dakota and Minnesota, flying more than 30 hours in 2009 and more than 55 hours in 2010. In 2011, the Predator B flew close to 250 hours in disaster relief support along the Northern Border.

The complete fact sheet can be downloaded here.

Source: CBP

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