Coalition vows $1.5bn for coastline drones A COALITION government will spend about $1.5 billion to buy and operate seven unmanned aircraft to patrol the Australian coastline. The drone program would be fully operational by 2017-18, with the aircraft feeding information back to the navy and Customs. "It would be out into waters that we would not otherwise usually patrol," opposition defence spokesman David Johnston told ABC radio on Thursday. Obviously a hot spot like the northwest maritime frontier is a place where you'd put these things. The frontier has been the preferred entry point for thousands of asylum seekers coming to Australia by boat.