The utilization of unmanned aerial vehicles incombating illegal bunkering activities in the Niger Delta regions of Nigeria

Abstract

In contemporary surveillance and reconnaissance efforts, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been widely deployed in dangerous, low-altitude regions where manned aircrafts cannot navigate easily because of their size, purchasing costs for environmental remote sensing, monitoring, and combat mission for military operations. As UAVs are used in compromising situations, they are designed to be low cost in the event of failed recovery process and there is increased operational flexibility for military applications and non-military development. This paper provides an overview of the use of UAVs in combating illegal bunkering activities. It classifies these vehicles based on performance and size. The paper seeks to proffer potential solutions for its adoption in the Niger Delta for forestalling security, monitoring and surveillance of multinational oil companies’ pipelines operating in the region, tactical responses by security agencies to address emergency situations of oil spillage, and illegal bunkering activities for the promotion of the nation’s economic development.