CANBERRA, ACT, Oct. 30 -- Australian Border Force issued the following news release:
NOTE:Download vision of drone patrols and interview with RPAS Operations
Superintendent Brendan Kosmer here and stills here
The Australian Border Force (ABF) has deployeddrones to Operation BROADSTAFF, giving officers another set of eyes across northern Queensland and the Torres Strait in the fight against illegal foreign fishing.
Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) will operate alongside existing aerial surveillance, patrol vessels, land-based patrols, intelligence operations, partner agencies and community reporting to help detect and disrupt suspicious activity.
The Torres Strait covers almost 48,000 square kilometres and includes more than 270 islands and reefs, with thick vegetation such as mangroves, strong tidal currents and predatory animals such as crocodiles presenting unique challenges for officers protecting Australia's maritime border.
Equipped with advanced optics and sensors, RPAS can operate by day and night and provide officers with real-time vision of areas that can be difficult or potentially dangerous to access by traditional patrol methods.
Acting Deputy Commander Maritime Border Command, Nicole Papathanasiou, said the technology would enhance the effectiveness of the enforcement network established through Operation BROADSTAFF, strengthening maritime domain awareness and supporting more coordinated operational responses.
"Illegal foreign fishing activity does not stay static and neither do we. ABF continues to adapt our surveillance and enforcement to where the risk is," Acting Deputy Commander Papathanasiou said.
"Drones give our officers another set of eyes across a vast and complex region and another way to maintain that pressure.
"There is no single asset or capability that protects northern Queensland and the Torres Strait. It is the combination of intelligence, technology, patrol vessels, aircraft, officers on the ground, our partner agencies and information from local communities that gives us the strongest possible picture.
"The people who live and work across northern Queensland and the Torres Strait know their Sea Country. Technology does not replace that local knowledge; it adds another layer to it.
"If something does not look right, we encourage the community to report it to Border Watch."
The deployment forms part of a broader RPAS rollout across northern Australia, following the introduction of drones to Operation LUNAR in the Northern Territory and Operation LEEDSTRUM in the Kimberley Marine Park, Western Australia in January 2026.
RPAS Operations Superintendent Brendan Kosmer said drones allowed officers to gather information from difficult-to-access areas while reducing unnecessary risk to personnel.
"RPAS allow us to see further, reach difficult areas and give our officers a clearer picture of what's happening, helping us make better informed decisions about the response required," Superintendent Kosmer said.
"This is about working smarter and more safely. Drones do not replace our officers, aircraft or vessels, they help us deploy them more effectively."
Operation BROADSTAFF was launched in February 2026 as an ABF-led multi-agency operation to deter, detect and disrupt illegal foreign fishing across northern Queensland and the Torres Strait.
Since 1 January 2026, the ABF has intercepted 27 foreign fishing vessels in northern Queensland and the Torres Strait.
Operation BROADSTAFF has resulted in 13 apprehensions since its launch.
Anyone with information about suspicious activity which may impact the security of Australia's borders is urged to report it through Border Watch.
Reports can be made anonymously.
Media contact: media@abf.gov.au
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
