US Customs and Border Protection is intensifying its use of human-portable drones for surveillance, shifting from testing to standard deployment. Federal contracting records indicate this move creates a distributed system for real-time activity tracking. Critics caution that the network could extend surveillance far beyond border areas.
According to federal contracting records reviewed by WIRED, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is quietly doubling down on a surveillance strategy centered on human-portable drones. This approach marks a transition from experimental use to integrating small drones as routine tools in border enforcement operations.
The strategy aims to build a distributed surveillance network capable of monitoring activity in real time. Such a system allows agents to follow events dynamically, enhancing coverage along the US borders.
However, privacy advocates and critics have raised concerns about the potential overreach. They warn that this expanding drone network may enable monitoring well beyond traditional border zones, raising questions about civil liberties and the scope of federal surveillance powers.
This development aligns with broader efforts by the Department of Homeland Security to modernize immigration and customs enforcement technologies, though specific details on deployment timelines or drone models remain limited in the available records.