Border Police demonstrate the use of drones for guarding the maritime border

The demonstration near Sozopol is part of a pilot project of the General Directorate "Border Police" (GDBP) and Frontex for the use of unmanned aerial systems for monitoring the land border and coastline. The scenario includes a drone that detects a boat with migrants in the Black Sea, after which coastal patrols and a border police ship are activated to detain the illegal migrants attempting to enter the country and to apprehend the smugglers trying to flee.

In parallel with the demonstration in Sozopol, a specialized seminar on tactical border surveillance through unmanned aerial systems, organized as part of the pilot project, is continuing in Burgas. Over 100 experts and representatives from EU member states are participating in the forum, including employees of the GDBP, the Academy of the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Defense.

The Deputy Director of the GDBP, Senior Commissioner Radoslav Kulekov, emphasized that the use of modern technical means such as drones significantly facilitates the work of ground teams and improves the protection of the external border. A key task of the project is to assess the operational effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and reliability of unmanned aerial systems for aerial surveillance.

The project will continue for 60 days, during which various aspects of the implementation of drones will be tested - the logistical burden, operational flexibility and the degree of compatibility with the permanent border surveillance systems. The main goal is to confirm the strategic value of unmanned aerial vehicles for increasing border security, strengthening situational awareness and decision-making capabilities.

After the testing, it will be assessed how drones can improve the monitoring and management of border regions and increase the ability of border guards to detect illegal activities and respond to security threats.