Red Cat Holdings Inc., a provider of highly sophisticated and complex SUAS products for militaries globally, announced Oct. 20 its Teal Drones subsidiary has been awarded a $1 million-plus contract from U.S. Customs and Border Protection to provide Teal’s high-performance Golden Eagle drones to U.S. Border Patrol.

The award is part of a blanket purchase agreement between U.S. Customs and Border Protection and five drone companies, announced in December 2021, which has a total estimated value of $90 million over a five-year period. All drones covered by the BPA are on the exclusive “Blue UAS” list of drones approved for purchase by the Department of Defense.

The drones will provide supplemental airborne reconnaissance, surveillance and tracking capability to enhance situational awareness for field commanders and agents in areas that lack nearby traditional surveillance systems or available manned air support, the company said.

“As a market leader in military-grade drones, and especially night-specific drones, we look forward to providing Teal’s Golden Eagle product to the government personnel who are responsible for protecting the American people and safeguarding our borders,” said Red Cat CEO Jeff Thompson. “Because Red Cat has invested in a large, new manufacturing facility for Teal in Salt Lake City, we are confident in our ability to meet the delivery deadline for this significant order, as well as future orders we anticipate under this BPA with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.”

The $1 million-plus basic purchase agreement awarded to Red Cat covers the provision of Teal’s Golden Eagle drone, plus battery packs and chargers, propellers, gimbal-mounted cameras, carrying cases and operator training sessions, including “train-the-trainer” sessions.