Is anybody surprised?
South Texas gets second drone for patrolling – The Brownsville Herald: South Texas’ second unmanned aerial vehicle was expected to arrive at its base station in Corpus Christi Wednesday night and will begin operations in a couple of days.
Texas Congressional members Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, Blake Farenthold, R-Corpus Christi, and Mike McCaul, R-Houston, announced the arrival of the second UAV earlier this week.
The Predator UAV is equipped with an electro-optical/infrared sensor system that is suitable for flights in darkness and bad weather.
Cuellar has pushed for more drones for the Texas-Mexico border and earlier said the bipartisan effort between Democrats and Republicans was the key factor for South Texas receiving second UAV.
If the Feds won’t do their job securing the border, then the states have to step in. Drones are a great way to cover vast amounts of the border at minimal cost.
Drones are also a cheap way to secure our schools, you know, for the kids. And while we’re in the air with them, might as well watch for speeders, jay-walkers, illegal lawn watering… And don’t forget about those pesky protesters popping up all over.
Who do you think is paying for it and manning it? Rick Perry’s office?
All this, and more to stop Mexican illegals? I hear that Alabama is having to use prison labor to pick crops since they scared away their Latino communities.
Is this because of the recent news of the exponential increase use of drones, especially with weapons? If not, get educated…go China!
Who’s gonna cut my lawn now, dammit I hate mowing the lawn.
First liberal Democrats and business Republicans said a fence is unnecessary because they prefer a virtual fence which is more effective. Now they are against the other measures as well. They are not upset that a border fence or EVerify won’t work but that it will.
You can have 50 drones in the air to track every rabbit, deer, and illegal intruder, but what the hell good is it if you don’t have people on the ground to arrest them?
As far as high-tech border patrol, last Saturday as I was traveling I-35 north of Laredo, a Border Patrol pickup passed me pulling a horse trailer. There were at least 5 horses in the trailer already saddled.
Most likely some sort of Fed gov law/regulation limiting them to such. By the way in rough country horses are effective and faster than people on foot. You also have a better view of the surroundings.
I got one question. When is Obama going to start using drones on the drug lords south of the border?
I know a man who works in the border patrol around McAllen TX that claims they now have surface to air missiles to shoot down planes crossing into the US that are suspected drug runners. Anyone heard something along these lines?
Gasparrini,
No not surprised, just disgusted. Obama the high flying terminator.
While drones definitely look cool and provide a tangible object for lawmakers to point to as an accomplishment in furthering border security, is there any evidence that they will be effective in improving security? While “the technology piece” is no doubt important, it is also important to use the right piece to fill the gap.