Predator aircraft flying the frontier area . . .

news report, October 1 2007
Just as the military has been increasing the number of drones that are conducting surveillance missions over Iraq and Afghanistan to nab insurgents, the Customs and Border Protection agency plans to fly more Predators over the United States to patrol its borders and coastal areas to catch illegal immigrants and contraband smugglers.

The agency has operated a small fleet of Predator B aircraft in homeland security missions during the past three years, says Michael Kostelnik, assistant commissioner of CBP's air and marine office.

Two of the drones are flying border security missions in Arizona, primarily along the U.S.-Mexico border in concurrence with the Army at Fort Huachuca, he says at an unmanned systems conference in Washington, D.C.

Kostelnik expects another Predator to arrive next month. It will initiate an expansion of border security operations into New Mexico and Texas.

As the agency acquires additional drones during the next several years, Kostelnik says his office will deploy those systems to provide persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance across the southwest border. After reaching the Rio Grande in Texas, operations will expand west to San Diego.

CBP also is acquiring two additional Predator Bs to be delivered next year. At least one of those will operate along shorelines and coastal regions.

I'm just stoked that Tom Ricks cited urbandictionary.

Drones will make it imperative for anyone with the capability to knock down the satellite relays by which they are controlled. The airspace over any future battlefield will be completely saturated with these things. Might be better to control them with a AWACS type plane just above the horizon.