U.S. Air And Marine Predator Drones Launch For Missions Overlooking U.S-Mexico Border
    The U.S. Office of Air and Marine (OAM) flies the unmanned and unarmed MQ-9 Predator B aircraft an average of 12 hours per day at around 19,000 feet over southern Arizona. The drones, piloted from the ground, search for drug smugglers and immigrants crossing illegally from Mexico into the United States. Due to federal sequestration cuts, Customs and Border Protection is expected to lose $500 million from its budget, and OAM staff at Ft. Huachuca are now taking unpaid furlough days once every two weeks as part of the cuts.