Drones join the fight against illegal foreign fishing

The Australian Border Force (ABF) has deployed drones to Operation BROADSTAFF — a multi-agency operation designed to deter, detect and disrupt illegal foreign fishing across northern Queensland and the Torres Strait. The deployment will see remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) 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 km² and includes more than 270 islands and reefs, with thick vegetation such as mangroves, strong tidal currents and predatory animals such as crocodiles presenting challenges for officers protecting Australia’s maritime border. 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, thanks to their advanced optics and sensors.

“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,” said RPAS Operations Superintendent Brendan Kosmer.

“This is about working smarter and more safely. Drones do not replace our officers, aircraft or vessels; they help us deploy them more effectively.”

Nicole Papathanasiou, Acting Deputy Commander Maritime Border Command, added that the technology would enhance the effectiveness of the enforcement network established through Operation BROADSTAFF, strengthening maritime domain awareness and supporting more coordinated operational responses by giving officers another set of eyes across a vast and complex region.

“There is no single asset or capability that protects northern Queensland and the Torres Strait,” Papathanasiou said. “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.”

The deployment forms part of a broader RPAS rollout to detect foreign fishing in northern Australia, following the introduction of drones to Operation LUNAR in the Northern Territory and Operation LEEDSTRUM in the Kimberley Marine Park. The ABF has intercepted 27 foreign fishing vessels in northern Queensland and the Torres Strait since 1 January 2026, with Operation BROADSTAFF having resulted in 13 apprehensions since launching in February.

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.

Image credit: Australian Border Force.