The Australian Border Force (ABF) has deployed drones as part of the anti-illegal fishing campaign Operation Broadstaff across northern Queensland and the Torres Strait.
Remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) will 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 square kilometres and includes more than 270 islands and reefs, with thick vegetation such as mangroves, strong tidal currents and predatory animals such as crocodiles presenting unique challenges for officers protecting Australia's maritime border, the ABF said.
Equipped with advanced optics and sensors, 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.
Nicole Papathanasiou, Acting Deputy Commander Maritime Border Command, said the technology would enhance the effectiveness of the enforcement network established through Operation Broadstaff, strengthening maritime domain awareness and supporting more coordinated operational responses.
“Drones give our officers another set of eyes across a vast and complex region and another way to maintain pressure [on illegal foreign fishing]," said Papathanasiou.
The deployment forms part of a broader RPAS rollout across northern Australia, following the introduction of drones to Operation Lunar in the Northern Territory and Operation Leedstrum in the Kimberley Marine Park, Western Australia in January 2026.
Operation Broadstaff was launched in February 2026 as an ABF-led multi-agency operation to deter, detect and disrupt illegal foreign fishing across northern Queensland and the Torres Strait. Since January 1, 2026, the ABF has intercepted 27 foreign fishing vessels in northern Queensland and the Torres Strait.
Operation Broadstaff has resulted in 13 apprehensions since its launch.
