# US and Canada to Test Autonomous Drones for Border Surveillance via 5G The **US Department of Homeland Security (DHS)**, in collaboration with Defense Research and Development Canada, plans to deploy autonomous drones and vehicles along the US-Canada border this fall. The experiment, dubbed ACE-CASPER, will assess the ability of these technologies to stream surveillance video and sensor data over commercial 5G networks. ## ACE-CASPER: A Cross-Border Technology Experiment The **DHS**, in partnership with Defense Research and Development Canada, is initiating ACE-CASPER, a multi-day exercise designed to simulate a national emergency response scenario. The core objective is to evaluate the resilience and persistence of 5G communications as drones and ground vehicles relay live feeds to a bi-national command-and-control center across the border. While vehicle autonomy is a factor, the primary focus remains on the robustness of the 5G network. ## Echoes of Past Drills This upcoming November test marks the first joint US-Canada cross-border technology experiment in nearly a decade. From 2011 to 2017, the two governments conducted five drills under the CAUSE program, which examined the interoperability of emergency responder communications systems, including radios, video, and data sharing capabilities. ## Dual-Purpose Capabilities While framed around public safety, search and rescue, and emergency response, the **DHS** outlines capabilities with potential military applications. Vendors are requested to demonstrate autonomous vehicles' ability to gather "real-time battlefield intelligence." The aerial systems are described as "Command and Control: Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance" (C2ISR) platforms, an acronym originating from the **US Department of Defense** and associated with enhancing "kill chains." The drone trials are facilitated through the **DHS**'s Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), in collaboration with Defense Research and Development Canada. ## Counter-Drone Initiatives and Domestic Manufacturing The Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) is central to the US federal government's domestic counter-drone program. Following restructuring under a 2025 executive order, the National Urban Security Technology Laboratory launched a counter-drone purchasing tool to aid police and emergency responders in the Washington, DC, region and the 11 US states hosting FIFA World Cup matches. The executive order also prioritizes the procurement of American-made drones and reserves government contract opportunities for domestic manufacturers. This market shift is further amplified by a recent Federal Communications Commission designation restricting foreign-made drones from US wireless networks. ## Potential Vendors and Political Connections The pool of companies poised to participate in the November trials includes several with ties to President Trump's sons. **Powerus Corporation**, a Florida-based drone manufacturer that recently merged with a golf course company backed by Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., is a potential contender. **Anduril Industries**, in which Trump Jr.'s firm invested last year, produces drones geared toward battlefield surveillance and holds **DHS**’s largest border-security contract: a $1.1 billion agreement to deploy AI-powered surveillance towers along the southern border. According to **Powerus** cofounder Brett Velicovich, "Powerus welcomes any effort by **DHS** to strengthen border security through advanced autonomous systems. Protecting American borders is exactly the mission our technology was built for, and we're encouraged to see the government moving urgently in this direction." Unusual Machines, a drone-components maker where Trump Jr. previously served as an advisor and received stock, sells to suppliers who work with the government. Xtend, an Israeli drone maker now backed by Eric Trump, opened a Tampa, Florida, headquarters in summer 2025 and secured a multimillion-dollar contract from a Pentagon special-operations office last fall. Xtend declined to comment.