Israeli-made unmanned aircraft begin anti-smuggling patrols today in Parana
CURITIBA, Parana – Justice Minister Jose Eduardo Cardozo was in Sao Miguel do Iguaçu, in Western Parana, to launch the first drone aircraft into the service of the Federal Police (PF). The drones, in testing since early October, will patrol the border region of Paraguay and Argentina. Two drones were put into service this morning and will patrol the border region around the clock.
Brazilian Unmanned Aircraft (photo: voarnews.blogspot.com)
The minister said that the federal police – which operate the unmanned aircraft – have two of the drones to begin with, both based in Sao Miguel do Iguaçu. The aircraft will map the entire land border of Brazil. The goal is to use the new tool to fight drug trafficking and the smuggling of weapons and goods from other countries.
“It is a fantastic innovation, especially when it comes to borders, when it comes to public safety policies,” the minister told G1. According to Cardozo, each plane costs about $28 million USD.
The aircraft are produced in Israel and are capable of flying for 37 hours without landing or refueling and they can map an area of up to 386 square miles. They can also take high-resolution pictures from a height of 30,000 feet without losing sharpness or detail of the images. The contract provides for technology transfer beginning next year.
The government will purchase 12 more of the aircraft. They will be used by the PF during the World Cup in 2014 and during the Olympics in 2016. The minister was not sure when the next shipment of the drones would arrive in Brazil.
Cardozo was careful to explain that Brazil's neighbors also intend to use the new tool to combat crime. “The government is working to finalize agreements with those countries to promote joint operations,” he said.
Read also: More Articles from Brazil Dispatch
Brazilian online news source for this article: G1 Paraná
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