FAA OKs drone flights along Texas-Mexico border

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Heather Ainsworth

FAA Drones

FILE - In this June 18, 2009, file photo, the United States Customs and Border Protection's Office of Air and Marine's unmanned aircraft, the Predator B, sits on display at Fort Drum, N.Y. Unmanned aircraft have proven their usefulness and reliability in the war zones of Afghanistan and Iraq. Now they face an even greater challenge, the skies over the United States. The Federal Aviation Administration is under pressure from other government agencies, lawmakers and industry to issue flying rights for a range of unmanned aircraft. Some are as big as a small airliner, others no larger than a backpack. The tiniest are small enough to fly through the window of a house. (AP Photo/Heather Ainsworth)

Ross D. Franklin

Sylvia Carrizoza

FILE -- In an Oct. 25, 2007 file photo pilot and U.S. Customs Border Patrol Air and Marine Division Air Interdiction Agent Sylvia Carrizoza flies a Predator drone unmanned aerial vehicle from a ground command post at Fort Huachuca, Ariz., during a night border mission. The Federal Aviation Administration has been asked to issue flying rights for a range of pilotless planes to carry out civilian and law-enforcement functions but has been hesitant to act for safety reasons. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin/file)

Ross D. Franklin

Drones Over America

FILE -- In an Oct. 25, 2007 file photo a Predator drone unmanned aerial vehicle takes off on a U.S. Customs Border Patrol mission from Fort Huachuca, Ariz. The Federal Aviation Administration has been asked to issue flying rights for a range of pilotless planes to carry out civilian and law-enforcement functions but has been hesitant to act for safety reasons. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin/file)