Uncle Sam Prepares To Unleash Up To 30000 Drones Over America For "Public Safety

[vokain]

The Federal Aviation Administration just needs to put the finishing touches on rules and regulations for widespread domestic drone use, and the agency expects as many as 30,000 UAVs will be in America’s airspace by the decade’s end. As Russia Today notes, given that the department has already addressed the issue of acquiring drones to give the DHS a better eye of domestic doings, though, those law enforcement operations in question could very well transcend away from legitimate uses and quickly cause civil liberty concerns from coast-to-coast. All drones will be equipped with Electro-Optical/Infra-Red sensors, as well as the technology to sniff out certain chemicals from thousands of feet above our heads. Have no fear though, since the "Robotic Aircraft for Public Safety" program is for your own protection, we are sure Janet Napolitano would suggest.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2012-10-09/uncle-sam-prepares-unleash-30000-drones-over-america-public-safety

[vampire]

The Federal Aviation Administration just needs to put the finishing touches on rules and regulations for widespread domestic drone use, and the agency expects as many as 30,000 UAVs will be in America’s airspace by the decade’s end. As Russia Today notes, given that the department has already addressed the issue of acquiring drones to give the DHS a better eye of domestic doings, though, those law enforcement operations in question could very well transcend away from legitimate uses and quickly cause civil liberty concerns from coast-to-coast. All drones will be equipped with Electro-Optical/Infra-Red sensors, as well as the technology to sniff out certain chemicals from thousands of feet above our heads. Have no fear though, since the "Robotic Aircraft for Public Safety" program is for your own protection, we are sure Janet Napolitano would suggest.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2012-10-09/uncle-sam-prepares-unleash-30000-drones-over-america-public-safety

Russia Today should worry about Russia, where police just stops you to try to get a bribe out of you.

[SgtSpike]

Sketchy...

[Severian]

"Public Safety" is police state code for spying on citizens and other fun things that police states do.

[dank]

This won't ever happen, don't let it instill fear into you.

[Severian]

This won't ever happen, don't let it instill fear into you.

It is happening. Just don't be afraid of them. That's the key.

[SgtSpike]

It'd be nice if they outfitted the drones with laser sensors, and created a super-detailed topography of the entire united states.

[dank]

http://www.planbeconomics.com/2012/07/20/air-force-to-begin-testing-drone-fired-lasers-over-north-dakota/

Just saw that in the link in the OP.

It's happening but they will never reach 30,000 domestic drones, or anything close to that.

[vokain]

http://www.planbeconomics.com/2012/07/20/air-force-to-begin-testing-drone-fired-lasers-over-north-dakota/

Just saw that in the link in the OP.

It's happening but they will never reach 30,000 domestic drones, or anything close to that.

Probably not 30000 drones flying at once but I could imagine us having a large fleet cycling in and out, with many concentrated along border states watching the border. Aren't there already drones flying over here, including other developing countries?

http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jun/11/nation/la-na-nn-maryland-drone-crash-20120611

http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/mirage-35862-unmanned-aircraft.html

http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/09/13/halton-police-find-744k-worth-of-drugs-using-high-tech-pot-spotting-drones/

http://dronewarsuk.wordpress.com/drone-crash-database/

[Ryland R. Taylor-Almanza]

I do think the whole surveillance thing is stupid, but I honestly think it would be really fucking cool to see crazy drones flying around in the sky

[TECSHARE]

Where do you think all those drones from Iraq went? Right back home. They are doing this, and 30,000 sounds like a conservative estimate considering the falling cost of hardware as well as new smaller drone designs.

[Richy_T]

Just wait until one of these falls out of the sky onto a bus full of orphans.

Seriously, the government has managed to sell the idea of "collateral damage" when it's a bunch of funny talking brown fellas. Who's going to notice a couple of malfunctioning drones when you're living in a bomb crater? But just wait until it's a pretty white girl who's being spoon fed cause a drone that lost its signal hit her in the head.

[Charlie Prime]

...the government has managed to sell the idea of "collateral damage" when it's a bunch of funny talking brown fellas.

That applies to everyone.  Our Collectivist form of government rests upon the axiom "Greater Public Good", that slaughtering 10,000 Americans to save 10,001 is totally worth it.

Support Cyberdine Systems, Inc. and help keep America Safe and Free!

http://www.youtube.com/v/DEtrzdGSXCU

[myrkul]

Russia Today should worry about Russia, where police just stops you to try to get a bribe out of you.

I wish you could bribe the police in the US. It would be cheaper.

[Arto]

A small surveillance drone flies over an Austin stadium, diligently following a series of GPS waypoints that have been programmed into its flight computer. By all appearances, the mission is routine.

Suddenly, the drone veers dramatically off course, careering eastward from its intended flight path. A few moments later, it is clear something is seriously wrong as the drone makes a hard right turn, streaking toward the south. Then, as if some phantom has given the drone a self-destruct order, it hurtles toward the ground. Just a few feet from certain catastrophe, a safety pilot with a radio control saves the drone from crashing into the field.

From the sidelines, there are smiles all around over this near-disaster. Professor Todd Humphreys and his team at the University of Texas at Austin's Radionavigation Laboratory have just completed a successful experiment: illuminating a gaping hole in the government’s plan to open US airspace to thousands of drones. [...] with the right equipment, anyone can take control of a GPS-guided drone and make it do anything they want it to.

[GernMiester]

If it uses the standard GPS broadcast signals then it can be taken control of.
Some Uni kids from Iran snagged a US drone and landed it.. 

[Ryland R. Taylor-Almanza]

A small surveillance drone flies over an Austin stadium, diligently following a series of GPS waypoints that have been programmed into its flight computer. By all appearances, the mission is routine.

Suddenly, the drone veers dramatically off course, careering eastward from its intended flight path. A few moments later, it is clear something is seriously wrong as the drone makes a hard right turn, streaking toward the south. Then, as if some phantom has given the drone a self-destruct order, it hurtles toward the ground. Just a few feet from certain catastrophe, a safety pilot with a radio control saves the drone from crashing into the field.

From the sidelines, there are smiles all around over this near-disaster. Professor Todd Humphreys and his team at the University of Texas at Austin's Radionavigation Laboratory have just completed a successful experiment: illuminating a gaping hole in the government’s plan to open US airspace to thousands of drones. [...] with the right equipment, anyone can take control of a GPS-guided drone and make it do anything they want it to.

Ok, now I REALLY want this whole drone thing to happen! I'd have so much fun with them!

[matmar10]

Just wait until one of these falls out of the sky onto a bus full of orphans.

As it turned out, that orphanage was actually cover for a militant training camp. We made a calculated decision and we decided in the interest of national security that we had to strike the orphanage. Collateral damage is unfortunate, but sometimes extreme measures are necessary for the sake of greater security.

[Charlie Prime]

All drones will be equipped with ...the technology to sniff out certain chemicals from thousands of feet above our heads.

Cool beans!

This will allow police to locate people smoking marijuana and put them in the penitentiary for rehabilitation and penance.

Excessive amounts of carbon dioxide from BBQ grills could also be located and shut down.

[HDSolar]

All drones will be equipped with ...the technology to sniff out certain chemicals from thousands of feet above our heads.

Cool beans!

This will allow police to locate people smoking marijuana and put them in the penitentiary for rehabilitation and penance.

Excessive amounts of carbon dioxide from BBQ grills could also be located and shut down.

The cool part is when we get the hacks from Iran and so we can take over the controls.  Free RC planes for everyone, until you get arrested or removed for existence by a military grade drone.  Oops and they are coming no matter what.