The Border Management Authority (BMA) has launched four advanced unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) to bolster ground teams in preventing the illegal entry of undocumented individuals into South Africa.
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Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber, speaking at a launch event in Pretoria on Tuesday, April 9, 2025, stated that this initiative follows a successful pilot project conducted in December 2024 with the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform & Rural Development. The pilot data demonstrated a significant 215% increase in the prevention of attempted illegal crossings and directly led to numerous apprehensions through drone deployment.
Starting today, the BMA is surveilling our borderline day and night using advanced drones flying as high as 7 000 meters at over 40km/h, equipped with night-vision, thermal detection and AI, while body cameras clamp down further on corruption. Digital transformation in action! 🇿🇦 pic.twitter.com/uaHLJyXNeB
— Leon Schreiber (@Leon_Schreib) April 10, 2025
Complementing the new aerial surveillance, BMA ground personnel will also utilize body-worn cameras, with 40 units launched alongside the drones.
Schreiber highlighted the drones’ sophisticated capabilities: “The drones are equipped with some of the most advanced night vision cameras globally, including thermal detection technology. Powered by artificial intelligence, these devices can recognise and lock onto heat sources, identifying moving people or vehicles. They operate at speeds up to 43km/h and can function in remote rural areas without GPS and even underground.”
The Department of Home Affairs is undergoing rapid digitization. Last month, Schreiber announced substantial upgrades to the Automated Biometric Identity System (Abis), used by various sectors for identity verification.
This aligns with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s broader government systems overhaul, announced in February, aiming for citizen access to services “at a touch.” Home Affairs is central to this drive, with a planned digital ID system as a key component.
Further digitization initiatives at Home Affairs, leveraging Sars’ data science and AI expertise, include:
- An electronic travel authorisation system for streamlined immigration.
- Integration of Home Affairs services with banking platforms for expanded access to smart IDs and passports.
- Secure courier delivery options for documents, eliminating office collection.
- Upgraded movement control systems at all ports of entry.
- Introduction of smart IDs for naturalised citizens and permanent residents.
Speaking at the drone launch, Minister Schreiber reiterated the crucial role of digitization in enhancing service delivery and his department’s commitment to this transformation.
