BMA deploys drone-trained border guards to tighten security
The Border Management Authority says six border guards have graduated as drone pilots during the first quarter of the 2025/26 financial year.
Briefing the media in Pretoria on Sunday, BMA commissioner Michael Masiapato, said the training of the new graduates was an effort by the Border Management to strengthen surveillance through new technological solutions.
Masiapato said more border guards will be trained to increase the drone operation capacity to detect immigration illegality in ports of entry.
He said this will improve visibility in blind spots that were identified in ports of entry.
“As we continue to strengthen our border security efforts by leveraging technology-driven solutions says as the drone usage for border surveillance, in April 2025, we sent eight border guards for pilot training,” said Masiapato.
The commissioners said prior to the graduation of the current pilots, the Department of Agriculture assisted the Border Management Agency with its pilots and equipment.
“In order to increase our drone operation capacity, we plan to send more border guards for training, as we plan to modernise our border law enforcement and improve our detection of cross-border crimes, including illegal immigration, trafficking, goods and human amongst others.”
Masiapato added that other border guards were trained for counterfeit currency detection through a partnership with the Reserve Bank.
“This gave them the necessary skill to identify counterfeit bank notes and especially when people try to smuggle them inter-jurisdictionally.”
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