Air Force Video

Video by Sgt. 1st Class Christy Sherman

Texas National Guard drone teams provide aerial overwatch in support of border operations

National Guard Bureau

Feb. 9, 2026 | 1:40

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Mark Clemente, a drone pilot with the Texas Military Department’s 640th Technology Integration Cell, discusses how Texas National Guard unmanned aircraft systems provide aerial overwatch in support of U.S. Border Patrol operations near Brownsville, Texas, Feb. 9, 2026, as Soldiers and Airmen launch and operate a small unmanned aircraft system along the Rio Grande. Texas Guard units have integrated drone capabilities into routine border security missions since 2023, aligning with Department of War priorities to accelerate unmanned system employment across the force. (U.S. Army National Guard video by Sgt. 1st Class Christy L. Sherman)