Officials: Drones producing results

Sierra Vista Herald, Sierra Vista Arizona (AP Story) ^ | 08/04/04 | AMANDA LEE MYERS

[SandRat]

PHOENIX - A pilot program that uses unmanned aerial drones to monitor illegal activity along the Arizona-Mexico border is gaining momentum, border officials say.

Two Hermes 450 drones, which were launched over Arizona on June 25, use thermal and night-vision equipment to spot illegal immigrants trying to cross the desert into the United States. They can detect movement from 15 miles up, read a license plate, view a vehicle's occupants and even detect weapons. ......

[Happy2BMe]

"This is a fantastic 6.3 illegal aliens per day. Cost per hour is ...I have no idea but I know Jackelope Breeder has a better succes rate than this working by himself without a drone!"

____________________________

And I'm just willing to bet that Jackelope Breeder is not getting paid anywhere near the $2 million cost of just one of these Hermes drones.

At least the people making (and milking) this Hermes drone program are making some money off watching a few migrants slide through. Well, that progress, gubmint style for ya.

:~)

[Dante3]

I wonder how much Ohmann gets paid by drug dealers, terrorists, and other criminals.

What if we set up snack stations close to prison to aid escaped convicts? Would that be labeled humanitarian?

[JackelopeBreeder]

Worse -- last month's figures for the Tucson sector were 38,898 apprehended, with 19,433 from Cochise County alone. They only catch one in five.

[JackelopeBreeder]

You're welcome, but it's not just me. There are dozens and dozens doing the same thing.

[guitfiddlist]

And I'm just willing to bet that Jackelope Breeder is not getting paid anywhere near the $2 million cost of just one of these Hermes drones.

(Sigh). The government just never gets it concerning UAV's. For the four million dollars they spent on just two huge UAV's that may as well be be manned Cessna's, I could hire ten RC clubs to build hundreds of sensor-equipped kit planes that could patrol the entire border.

This is all high-profile hype anyway. The government has no intention to slow the flow.

[taxed2death]

This is fantastic news. Many Freepers will probably fall out of their chairs when they actually read my post containing an actual COMPLIMENT to the powers that be, regarding our porous borders...but yes, it's true. TAXED2DEATH is happy about this.

[skeeter]

"It's another step toward militarization of the border," she said. "There are other ways that it could be handled."

Nah, thats not "militarizing" the border...

THIS is militarizing the border.

[B4Ranch]

I know that but you are the only one with whom I've had personal conversations..

I hate to think what the mess would be if you guys weren't volunteering your time and equipment to assist the BP in snaring these varmits.

[ApesForEvolution]

Oh-my-Lord...

[hershey]

I really think we made a quiet deal with Mexico that we'd go easy on illegals if they'd cooperate with terrorist interdiction on their side of the border. They seem to have no trouble shooting people trying to cross their southern border! This whole thing stinks, frankly. We're being invaded, with long lasting consequences they haven't even begun to think of.

[JackelopeBreeder]

And I'm just willing to bet that Jackelope Breeder is not getting paid anywhere near the $2 million cost of just one of these Hermes drones.

You win that bet. It's all volunteers down here.

[Happy2BMe]

Keep up the good work. The border is (still) a little too far driving distance for me.

[Happy2BMe]

Secret deals have always had a way of coming to the light of day, one way or another.

Thanks for the ping.