U.S. to patrol Manitoba border with drone aircraft

[CHIMO]

Source: CBC News

The U.S. is preparing to use unmanned drone airplanes for surveillance of Manitoba's border with Minnesota and North Dakota.

The North Dakota branch will be the first on the northern border to use a drone, which will begin operations in April 2008. They are already used to patrol the U.S.-Mexico border.

The unmanned aerial vehicle, or UAV, will be based at Grand Forks, N.D., and will be used to monitor border areas for the illegal transfer of drugs, weapons, people, and "who knows what else," said Michael Kostelnik of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

"It's really the unknowns that gives one pause," he said.



Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2007/09/21/uav.html

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Someone has lots of money to throw around. Wonder how much they would pay for emergency landings? Or what sort of insurance policy they have?

[DavidDvorkin]

1. The world's longest unguarded border

Ah, those were the good old days.

[rzemanfl]

2. Will they have Hellfire missiles in case the Canucks try to

invade, or Americans try to escape?

[Buzz Clik]

3. Who the hell would ever invade North Dakota from Manitoba?

[CHIMO]

4. Maybe The

Geese.

Some loons? Or maybe loonies?

[RC]

5. Who'd the hell would invade North Dakota from anywhere?

Ain't nothing here except cows, sugar beets and a bunch of baby bu$h supporters.

[kitty1]

6. I live in Manitoba. All they're going to find is trunks full of booze n/t

[Buzz Clik]

8. Hm. Send more drones!

[struggle4progress]

7. Eeeek! Manitobans!

[WilyWondr]

9. Let 'Operation Canadian Bacon' commense!

What a joke.

:toast:

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

10. It's a major smuggling route...

For Poutine and Smoked Meat sandwiches.

[Fearless]

11. One word... draft.

:popcorn:

[JBoy]

12. Bah, who cares about UAVs

Manitoba is home to the world's biggest baddest mosquitos that will KICK YOUR ASS



Now powered with West Nile Virus.

[MadHound]

13. This may not be true in all rural areas

But I know that there are many places here in the rural Midwest where if you put up a drone plane, during hunting season, somebody who has had their morning nip is going to try and bring that sucker down. Unmanned, unarmed, it's nothing but flying target practice.