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Drone video shows Border Wall Prototypes in Otay Mesa, San Diego, CA

U.S. Customs and Border Protection released b-roll video footage showing various prototypes of the border wall Trump promised during his campaign. The video is shot from a drone that flies over the various wall prototypes and like Matt Novak from Gizmodo points out: “the drone video of border wall prototypes accidently shows how worthless the wall would be.” Trump said that the purpose of the wall was to stop: “drugs from pouring into this country”. However, any affordable and easily obtainable consumer drone would have no problem flying over the wall to drop drugs on the other side.

A border wall will not stop drugs coming into the U.S.

So, obviously, the wall by itself is not going to stop any drugs from pouring into this country as shown earlier this summer when the Border Patrol busted a 25-year old man who flew 13 pounds of meth across the border with a drone. Wall or no wall, to stop drugs from entering the U.S. you will need border spotters, hi-tech sensors, and cameras.

When Novak asked the U.S. Customs and Border Protection about this they responded with this:

“Matt, don’t forget that there are also agents, sensors, cameras and other technologies monitoring the Border Enforcement Zone,” Carlos Diaz, the Southwest Branch Chief for the CBP Office of Public Affairs, told Gizmodo by email. “The combination of those elements allow for the effective and efficient protection of the wall.”

 

In past years, what the CBP did ask for to stop the smuggling of drugs, is more technology, like cameras and sensors. They did not ask for a very expensive wall covering the entire border from East to West. The cost estimates vary widely from $15 billion on the low end to $70 billion on the high end of the spectrum and Mexico already said they will not be paying for this crazy idea. So, I’ll finish this with Novak’s conclusion, with which I agree one hundred percent:

Whether the wall ultimately gets built or not, it’s safe to say that it’s not going to be stopping drugs from getting across the border. But at least it’ll be incredibly expensive and ugly. Great job, President Trump. We knew we could count on you.

Screenshots and video below

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Avatar for Haye Kesteloo Haye Kesteloo

Haye Kesteloo is the Editor in Chief and Main Writer at DroneDJ, where he covers all drone related news and writes product reviews. He also contributes to the other sites in the 9to5Mac group such as; 9to5Mac, 9to5Google, 9to5Toys and Electrek. Haye can be reached at haye@dronedj.com or @hayekesteloo