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Drones swamp US-Mexico border but federal agents powerless to stop them
Washington Examiner ^ | 12 OCT 2018 | Anna Giaritelli

Posted on 10/13/2018 3:07:06 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum

The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI identified this week unmanned aerial systems, or drones, as one of the greatest national security threats to America — rating it as severe a concern as cybersecurity hacks, critical infrastructure attacks, and terrorism.

While drones are often thought of as techie toys, officials are becoming increasingly worried about the threat they pose and are warning it's only a matter of time until the devices are used to drop a bomb or fentanyl powder on people in a populated area. Drones are already used by transnational criminal syndicates and drug cartels. The technology is readily available to terrorist groups.

Incidents that have gained public attention in recent years have largely involved inexperienced fliers losing control of the aircraft, but the military and law enforcement officers are already dealing with cases of drones being used for illicit purposes.

Border Patrol agents and port officers belonging to the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency are dealing with drones being used as airborne spies.

On the U.S.-Mexico border, drones are already being used to spy on federal law enforcement operations and smuggle contraband through the sky. The first drug smuggling incident via drone was documented in Nov. 2015. Now, it's a daily occurrence in some regions of the southern border, but it's rarely reported because CBP is unable to seize the devices. Arrests are rare.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...


TOPICS: Mexico; News/Current Events; US: Arizona; US: California; US: Florida; US: New Mexico; US: New York; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: 2018election; 2020election; arizona; buildthefence; california; daca; dreamact; dreamers; election2018; election2020; florida; mexico; newmexico; newyork; texas
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Is there not a device that can block or take over control of a drone?


41 posted on 10/13/2018 4:18:46 PM PDT by lurk
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To: Yo-Yo

Find me a crosswind at 500’agl less than 10 knots? Maybe 5:00AM to 9:00AM, but not likely?


42 posted on 10/13/2018 4:21:06 PM PDT by blackdog
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To: blackdog

Electronic jamming? Surely there are a few geeks out there that could build those.


43 posted on 10/13/2018 4:34:30 PM PDT by oldasrocks (rump)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

A clear and present danger calls for military intervention.


44 posted on 10/13/2018 4:44:58 PM PDT by unlearner (A war is coming.)
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To: JMS

The word shotgun comes to mind.

I was thinking shoot them down!! Machine guns or shotguns!


45 posted on 10/13/2018 4:45:31 PM PDT by tallyhoe
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Target

Practice


46 posted on 10/13/2018 4:51:28 PM PDT by bgill (CDC site, "We don't know. how people are infected with Ebola.")
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To: oldasrocks

White shot noise generator. Coffee can and a few household electronics gizmos. Drones will drop like Les Nessmans turkeys.


47 posted on 10/13/2018 4:56:00 PM PDT by blackdog
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Shoot em down


48 posted on 10/13/2018 5:09:03 PM PDT by Nifster (I see puppy dogs in the clouds)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

A scaled down Phalanx that shoots thousands of BB’s or small ball bearings should do the job.


49 posted on 10/13/2018 5:09:13 PM PDT by VietVet876
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To: oldasrocks

K3 = Soviet nuclear weapon homing beacon operator.


50 posted on 10/13/2018 5:24:23 PM PDT by ASA Vet (Make American Intelligence Great Again.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

“The cover of darkness and the high speeds the drones can fly at make it nearly impossible for agents to shoot them down, even if they were allowed to use their firearms.”

I’ll bet some qualified trap shooters or duck hunters can put a hole in that theory real quick.


51 posted on 10/13/2018 5:31:07 PM PDT by Mollypitcher1 (I have not yet begun to fight....John Paul Jones)
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To: xrmusn

they can show their expertise at Skeet Shooting..
..............................................................
NO! You want TRAP SHOOTERS or Duck Hunters. Big Difference.


52 posted on 10/13/2018 5:33:48 PM PDT by Mollypitcher1 (I have not yet begun to fight....John Paul Jones)
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To: Keyhopper

Turkey shoot. Let anyone who owns a long gun come out for some practice.
..............................................................
Sounds like great fun!!!!! I’d be there in a heart beat.


53 posted on 10/13/2018 5:35:48 PM PDT by Mollypitcher1 (I have not yet begun to fight....John Paul Jones)
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To: Kickass Conservative

NOT Skeet! Trap Shooters are far better at unexpected and unplanned reactions. Skeet shooters know where and how the pigeon will exit the tower. Trap shooters do not know in which direction or at which height the pigeon will appear from the trap house.


54 posted on 10/13/2018 5:40:24 PM PDT by Mollypitcher1 (I have not yet begun to fight....John Paul Jones)
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To: JMS

A DJI Phantom can fly at 1600 feet if you override the 400 foot Altitude Limit. You can’t even see it from the ground at that height. They cruise at 22-30 mph. A shotgun isn’t going to hit it.


55 posted on 10/13/2018 5:43:54 PM PDT by TexasGurl24
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

If we had a wall we could have technology to disrupt RF communications above it


56 posted on 10/13/2018 5:45:13 PM PDT by montag813
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

We have our own drones, and the capability of zeroing in and making certain folks have a real bad day...


57 posted on 10/13/2018 5:45:49 PM PDT by Tammy8
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To: blackdog

That’s simply not true. Here is a video of a mavic flying in 80km flight level gusts.

https://youtu.be/HekIsuHBui8

The phantoms are rated to handle 31mph winds, and many people have flown them in higher winds than that.


58 posted on 10/13/2018 5:49:23 PM PDT by TexasGurl24
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To: Mollypitcher1

Id take that bet. You think it’s possible to hit a UAV flying at 1600 feet at 30mph when you can even see or hear it from the ground?


59 posted on 10/13/2018 5:51:43 PM PDT by TexasGurl24
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Directional antennae with frequency band sweep-jamming.

Or, come up with shoulder fired “jamming” guns, make them lose control of the drones; send engine cut off signals and make them crash in a controlled area.


60 posted on 10/13/2018 5:54:42 PM PDT by FrankR (You gotta stand for something, or you'll fall for anything!)
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