In response to a reported uptick in illegal traffic, a new aerostat surveillance balloon is being deployed, replacing one lost to high winds in 2018.

A spokesperson for Customs and Border Protection said the new aerostat system is a TARS model, which uses fewer cameras and relies on a radar system to track activity.

The new aerostat currently sits inflated but grounded at a pad at the South Padre Island Coast Guard Station. It's owned and operated by CBP's Air and Marine Operations division.

When deployed, aerostat systems hover at several hundred feet.

The TARS system is designed to surveil up to 200 miles, focusing on air traffic, according to a CBP fact sheet.

From that position, the aerostat will be able to observe Padre Island, Cameron County, the mouth of the Rio Grande, and beyond into Mexico and the Gulf.

CBP said the deployment is in response to a rise in illegal traffic.

"The system will help federal, state, and local law enforcement teams improve our ability to monitor and manage illicit cross-border activity on the rise in the South Texas coastal region," said a spokesperson.

The aerostat remains grounded, as electrical systems are being checked ahead of its launch in coming weeks, said the CBP spokesperson.