Australia considers deploying powerful surveillance drones to protect borders

Drones capable of surveilling Australia’s coastline for more than 30 hours at a time could become a new frontline defence against illegal activity at sea.

The Department of Home Affairs is exploring the use of uncrewed aircraft as the Australian Border Force grapples with the immense task of monitoring the nation’s maritime industry.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Surveillance drones considered for Australian border protection

It is understood the department has approached industry providers for information about aerial surveillance systems capable of detecting, tracking and identifying vessels in remote and challenging conditions.

The technology could be used to target people smugglers, illegal fishing operations, and vessels carrying contraband while providing around-the-clock support to Maritime Border Command and Operation Sovereign Borders.

The department is particularly interested in systems capable of finding small wooden fishing boats travelling at speeds of up to 25 knots.

However, the search remains in its early stages, and no decision has been made to purchase a drone fleet.

Security specialist Will Geddes told Sunrise on Monday the technology was particularly well suited to Australia’s enormous surveillance task.

“They’re brilliant. They’re very, very, very good because what you’ve got is unmanned equipment and surveillance equipment to basically monitor the coastline for a variety of different reasons,” Geddes said.

“It could be foreign illegal fishermen. It could be people smugglers. It could be contraband of various different types and could include terrorism.

“It’s a very effective means of dealing with approximately 35,000km of coastline.”

Australia’s military already operates the MQ-4C Triton, providing a glimpse of how long-endurance aircraft could transform surveillance across the nation’s northern approaches.

The aircraft can remain airborne for extended missions that would be impossible for a crewed plane.

Unlike autonomous aircraft, Tritons are flown by qualified Air Force pilots from ground stations with the support of co-pilots and other operational staff.