SkySafe drone detection system to stem flow of illicit goods at the US Southern border

SkySafe has been awarded a drone detection contract from Amentum, acting on behalf of the United States Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) under the Department of Defense Information Analysis Center’s multiple-award contract vehicle.

Drones are frequently used to smuggle illegal drugs across the international border into the US. They are operated from a distance by remote control and are most often used under the cover of night. The drones that are flown across the border can typically carry two to five pounds in weight and will attempt several trips in one smuggling event. Packages of hard narcotics are often equipped with trackers to allow smugglers waiting on the northern side of the border to easily locate them after they are dropped. Human smugglers also use drones to monitor agents on patrol.

SkySafe will deploy its cloud-based drone detection system along a portion of the US Southern border to further help curb the flow of illicit goods into the United States. The company’s Software as a Service (SaaS) platform detects, tracks, and identifies a wide range of drones. The system integrates hardware and software components and will provide CBP agents with real-time alerts for situational awareness. SkySafe’s technology and support infrastructure were selected from a competitive process. 

The project will be implemented in phases.