Photo By Sgt. Griffin Payne | U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Ernesto Nevarez, with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry...... read more read more
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FORT BLISS, Texas – Under the direction of U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Soldiers have deployed in support of Joint Task Force-Southern Border (JTF-SB). Their mission is ensuring the security and territorial integrity of the United States through unified efforts with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
U.S. Soldiers have been utilizing multiple advanced military assets, such as Stryker armored vehicles, long range advanced scout surveillance systems (LRAS3) and black hornet drones to support detection and monitoring operations at the southern border.
The Black Hornet 4 PRS G3 is a microdrone that can be controlled manually or automatically through Global Positioning Systems (GPS), offering real-time surveillance with high-resolution cameras. It enables U.S. Soldiers to monitor terrain and detect threats without exposing their position.
“The drone has a GPS that pings locations of the illegal aliens using an eight-digit grid,” said U.S. Army Spc. James Greer assigned to 1st Battalion, 41st Infantry Regiment. “Without them even knowing that they’re being watched.”
What distinguishes the black hornet from other Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) is its unique small size. It weighs approximately 16 grams and is about 10 inches in length.
Recently the black hornet drone proved its value when Soldiers detected three individuals carrying rifles along the Mexican side of the southern border near the Texas National Defense Area. Greer explained that after the CBP Mobile Video Surveillance System (MVSS) made the initial detection, the drone was immediately flown to assess the individuals’ specific location and identify if they were threats.
“We didn’t know what they were up to,” said Greer. “It was safer to send down a drone than to send troops and potentially have their lives in danger.”
Ultimately Greer reported to CBP that the individuals made no advancements, and no further action was required. The black hornet drones are a unique military capability shown to improve safety and efficiency while supporting CBP.
| Date Taken: | 07.01.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.02.2025 11:13 |
| Story ID: | 502074 |
| Location: | FORT BLISS, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 165 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Black Hornet drones: A new tool in border security, by Adrianna Douglas, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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