London, Nov.26 (ANI): Military drones will be deployed to guard Britain’s borders from illegal immigrants and drug smugglers, The Sun reports.The pilotless spy planes - capable of reading a car number plate from 20,000 feet - will be patrolling the South East coast within two years.

Radio-controlled airships fitted with similar hi-tech cameras will also be drafted in under the crackdown planned by police in Kent and Essex to stem the tide of those sneaking into the country.

Defence giant BAE systems last night confirmed it was working with the two forces on civilian versions of the unmanned planes - which have proved invaluable in the war on the Taliban - and the blimps.

Project chief Andrew Mellors said they would bring an “added dimension in efforts to police Britain’s borders”.

Chief Inspector Richard Watson, the force’s head of air operations, said the drones were poised to play a “significant” role in tracking suspicious activity around the coast.

The UK Border Agency, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Marine and Fisheries Agency are also involved with BAE in the project. (ANI)