In order to effectively evaluate the reconnaissance and patrol capability of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the border area, the principle of matter element analysis based on extenics is used to analyze the main factors affecting the reconnaissance and patrol capability of UAVs in combination with the use of UAVs in the plateau border area, and appropriate index parameters are selected to build an index evaluation model for the capability of UAV reconnaissance and patrol. The results show that this method can better ensure the objectivity and completeness of the evaluation results, and can provide a reference for commanders and operators to use UAV reconnaissance and patrol in the plateau environment.