“Until DHS can better manage and utilize its current fleet of UAS, The Unmanned Aircraft System Improvement Act of 2015 would prohibit the procurement of new UAS,” the press release said.
The US Customs and Border Protection’s unmanned aircraft program did not make US borders more secure, but resulted in excessive spending, according to a recent DHS report released last week.
“This bill is an important step to ensuring our border security efforts are effective in preventing future waves of illegal border crossings,” McCain was quoted as saying in the release.
In addition, the bill would require DHS to submit a detailed report to US Congress regarding the program’s effectiveness, the press release read.
The DHS Inspector General report revealed earlier this year that drones were in the air only 22 percent of the initially planned time and covered only nine percent of the length of the border they were assigned to monitor. Additionally, it was discovered that the program cost $12,255 per flight hour, instead of the originally estimated $2,468 per hour.
