110407 - cbc - the national - border uavs

Based at a military facility in Grand Forks, N.D., the $10-million Predator B drone aircraft are equipped with sensors capable of detecting a moving person from 10 kilometres away.

The aircraft is able to fly at an altitude of 6,000 metres and can remain in the air for 18 hours.

The planes will gather information as they fly along the 400-kilometre border and transmit it to operators who will in turn contact border agents. The drones will not carry weapons, such as missiles or laser-guided bombs, and the U.S. will need permission to send them into in Canadian airspace.

Manitoba has 12 official border crossings — only two are open 24 hours a day. Much of the land in between the crossings is either swampland, lakes or farmers' fields.

U.S. authorities are concerned that the border has areas that could potentially be exploited by drug smugglers, migrants and terrorists.

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