Police to Deploy Spy Drones

[Hammer]

Police deployment of RC drones (UA) is beginning in the US, and is likely to become a fact of life in Oz as well, for "surveillance, searches and car chases."

Police may deploy spy drones

Sounds like fun! Except, of course, for the privacy concerns.
So far I'm thinking that the benefits outweigh the disadvantages.

[Russell]

Is it allowed to shoot these down?

After all, it is close to an Olympic sport...

[Hammer]

Is it allowed to shoot these down?

After all, it is close to an Olympic sport...

Shooting down police aircraft?
I kinda think that might get you into some trouble (police tend to be a humorless lot).
But there's the potential for some very cool counter-drone development there.

[Hammer]

More complications ...

http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/05/23/groups-concerned-over-arming-of-domestic-drones/

[Russell]

More complications ...

http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/05/23/groups-concerned-over-arming-of-domestic-drones/

So my previous question should have been "is it allowed to shoot back?"

But seriously, this raises serious questions.
The main reason why a police officer shoot a suspect
is to protect lives. Can an operator of a drone judge
such an issue from a remote location?

Then, what is the next step? Automate these things,
such that no operator is necessary any more?
(visions of ROBOCOP scenes)

[Hammer]

But seriously, this raises serious questions.
The main reason why a police officer shoot a suspect
is to protect lives. Can an operator of a drone judge
such an issue from a remote location?

Yes, that seems to be the main objection, and a very reasonable one it is.
There are problems with using them for surveillance, let alone enforcement.

Scary stuff.

[Hammer]

This is just getting surreal.

http://www.theage.com.au/technology/sci-tech/combat-commuters-dishing-out-death-with-drones-20120626-20zjj.html

[Jack]

It's just one of the sickest things out there. Amazing how citizens have no problem with it. Some of these "Heroes" are actually applying for workers comp because of the mental stress it causes them. People who want to kill each other should be forced to fight with spoons, that would end war real quick. Pussies.

[Hugh Jørgen]

Drones vulnerable to terrorist hijacking, researchers say

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.

They could be turned into weapons.

“Spoofing a GPS receiver on a UAV is just another way of hijacking a plane,” Humphreys told Fox News.
In other words, with the right equipment, anyone can take control of a GPS-guided drone and make it do anything they want it to...


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/06/ ... z1ystVusGP

[Hammer]

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton holds a small U.S.-made drone that the Ugandan military uses in Somalia to fight al-Qaeda linked militants, during a demonstration and briefing at Kasenyi Military Base in Kampala August 3, 2012.

Hillary RC Pilot.JPG (33.11 KiB) Viewed 254 times

Hmm ... about the same size as my Fun Cub ... (not Hillary, the plane).

[Gaspard de Coligny]

Tssss...

tumblr_m8d7d2Yzoj1rtkxpuo1_500.jpg (101.5 KiB) Viewed 242 times

[Hammer]

I was most interested that this little military drone just looks a garden variety RC plane. A trainer at that. Looks can be deceiving, apparently.

[Gaspard de Coligny]

And why would you need anything different ?

[Hammer]

And why would you need anything different ?

I guess it depends on what you're trying to accomplish. If it's something like surveillance, and with the state of current camera technology, that's probably all you really need, although I would have expected something bigger for stability and endurance.

Endurance is the main thing. A little toy like that wouldn't get very far, but of course if it doesn't need to go very far then that becomes a non-issue. I assume it's disposable as well.

I doubt that thing would be required to carry a payload.

[Gaspard de Coligny]

It's all aboot how it's deployed. Field toys for close air recon usually need to be able to fit in a trooper backpack and are line of sight control only. Stuff like predators and reapers need a real runway satcom links and air cooled trailer mounted control post. (and are most certainly hangar queens).

Like for real warfare... you need flexibility from SR71 to Skymaster driven by a darky with googles... (insert Bat21 ref here)