Federal border agents have begun flying unmanned Predator B aerial drones along the border between Texas and Mexico this week, The Hill reports.

The newspaper. quoting congressional sources, says U.S. Customs and Border Protection made the first flight from Arizona to New Mexico to near El Paso.

Drones are already in use along the border with Canada and in the New Mexico and Arizona border areas. The new flights extend coverage to Texas, The Economist reports.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, is working with the FAA to approve drone patrols along the entire Texas border by the end of summer, The Hill says.

(Posted by Doug Stanglin)