30,000 Domestic Drones by 2020?

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  • RMOR

    Plinker
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    Jan 11, 2011
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    Anderson
    Drones over U.S. get OK by Congress - Washington Times

    "The FAA has issued hundreds of certificates to police and other government agencies, and a handful to research institutions to allow them to fly drones of various kinds over the United States for particular missions.

    The agency said it issued 313 certificates in 2011 and 295 of them were still active at the end of the year, but the FAA refuses to disclose which agencies have the certificates and what their purposes are."
    ...

    Of course they refuse to disclose their purposes. All in the name of peace and safety, and in the end we will have neither.
     

    rambone

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    You can bet that a good number of them will be going to domestic spy agencies in the Federal Government.
     

    snapping turtle

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    Dec 5, 2009
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    I can see real estate folk, rail road, pipeline, checking mountain passes for snow depth and drifting, Road inspections for pot holes, High voltage transmission wire checking, using the drones for private needs.

    I don't think the US GOV will be using 30,000 drones myself. Heck I think with a small camera and a hobby RC plane I could make a drone myself.
     

    indykid

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    Jan 27, 2008
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    I can't wait to read about the drone that flew into the engine of a jumbo with the result that 400 plus people on the plane were killed, and several hundred killed in the school that the plane fell onto.

    Actually, I hope I never read the above, but something to think about when our right to privacy goes the way of the Woolly Mammoth.
     

    mike8170

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    Dec 18, 2008
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    Hiding from reality
    I can see real estate folk, rail road, pipeline, checking mountain passes for snow depth and drifting, Road inspections for pot holes, High voltage transmission wire checking, using the drones for private needs.

    I don't think the US GOV will be using 30,000 drones myself. Heck I think with a small camera and a hobby RC plane I could make a drone myself.

    Done it, it worked. Used a wireless nannycam. Tough to fly watching a screen.
     

    J_Wales

    Shooter
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    Feb 18, 2011
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    It is becoming more clear each day whom are the true domestic terrorists.
     

    J_Wales

    Shooter
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    Feb 18, 2011
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    I can't wait to read about the drone that flew into the engine of a jumbo with the result that 400 plus people on the plane were killed, and several hundred killed in the school that the plane fell onto.

    .

    Do you really think that is how the story would be written?

    My guess is they would blame it on a terrorist and call for increased measures encroaching on Liberty... to keep us safe of course.
     

    RMOR

    Plinker
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    Jan 11, 2011
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    I can see real estate folk, rail road, pipeline, checking mountain passes for snow depth and drifting, Road inspections for pot holes, High voltage transmission wire checking, using the drones for private needs.

    I don't think the US GOV will be using 30,000 drones myself. Heck I think with a small camera and a hobby RC plane I could make a drone myself.

    Sure, I don't think anyone is saying that the Feds are going to be employing 30k drones all by themselves. But I would imagine that they will have an interest in the lion's share. I would also think that they will use them however they see fit, if their surveillance happens to trample on some liberties here and there then so be it. After all they've already set the precedent that they will not disclose who is using them and what they're using them for. Sounds reasonable, huh?
     

    Blackhawk2001

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    Jun 20, 2010
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    Oh Christ! How many of you folks use Google Earth? How many of you watch accident scenes on television broadcast from a news helicopter? How many of you watch aerial views of auto racing or football games broadcast from one of several brands of dirigible/blimps owned by Goodyear, FujiFilm or others? If that doesn't bother you, think about why it doesn't.
     

    RMOR

    Plinker
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    Jan 11, 2011
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    Oh Christ! How many of you folks use Google Earth? How many of you watch accident scenes on television broadcast from a news helicopter? How many of you watch aerial views of auto racing or football games broadcast from one of several brands of dirigible/blimps owned by Goodyear, FujiFilm or others? If that doesn't bother you, think about why it doesn't.

    I don't share your take on the peaceful/innocent intentions of the program. I do hope I'm wrong and you're right though.
     

    ATOMonkey

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    Jun 15, 2010
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    It's ok to have drones patrolling the air, as long as they aren't armed.

    It's ok to have armed drones patrolling the air as long as they can only be used with a warrant.

    It's ok to use armed drones without a warrant, as long as it's against terrorists and not citizens.

    It's ok to use armed drones against citizens as long as they're terrorists.

    It's ok to use armed drones agianst citizens.
     

    rambone

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    John McCain wants to use Predator drones against targets inside the United States

    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7tavj7Jhko[/ame]
     

    canav844

    Expert
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    Jun 22, 2011
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    What can i say? The republican controlled congress knows whats best for us!
    1. It's a Republican controlled House, it's a divided Congress
    2. The FAA operates under a director appointed by the president, that operates on behalf of the president, theoretically within the confines of the law set by the house, this is all to do with the Executive Branch, not the legislative branch.
    3. The bill passed by the divided Congress, makes it easier for the FAA to keep doing what it already has been.
     

    Blackhawk2001

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    OK, getting a BIT more rational about this article. I don't remember the numbers anymore, but I don't think there are 30k aircraft operating in the entire continental US, including commercial, military, and civilian aircraft - and probably including radio-controlled model aircraft, too! While I can understand everyone's gut reaction to the idea of ubiquitous unmanned aerial vehicles filling our skies, in reality, the current Air Traffic Control System is barely adequate to "control" US Airspace as is. Add in any significant number of UAVs for local, regional, and national surveillance purposes and you will get an uncontrollable mess. Once again, while I understand everyone's fears, the horse has already left the barn years ago. If it bothers you that much, start working to get all those news helicopters out of the air right now, since they're the precedent UAVs will be using for their operations.
     

    rambone

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    The List OF 75 US Senators Who Voted To Let 30,000 Drones Shoot Americans In The Streets

    Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
    Kelly Ayotte (R-NH)
    Max Baucus (D-MT)
    Mark Begich (D-AK)
    Michael Bennet (D-CO)
    Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)
    Roy Blunt (R-MO)
    John Boozman (R-AR)
    Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
    Scott Brown (R-MA)
    Richard Burr (R-NC)
    Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
    Tom Carper (D-DE)
    Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)
    Dan Coats (R-IN)
    Tom Coburn (R-OK)
    Thad Cochran (R-MS)
    Susan Collins (R-ME)
    Chris Coons (D-DE)
    Bob Corker (R-TN)
    John Cornyn (R-TX)
    Dick Durbin (D-IL)
    Mike Enzi (R-WY)
    Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
    Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
    Charles Grassley (R-IA)
    Kay Hagan (D-NC)
    Dean Heller (R-NV)
    John Hoeven (R-ND)
    Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX)
    Jim Inhofe (R-OK)
    Dan Inouye (D-HI)
    Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
    Mike Johanns (R-NE)
    Tim Johnson (D-SD)
    Ron Johnson (R-WI)
    John Kerry (D-MA)
    Herbert Kohl (D-WI)
    Jon Kyl (R-AZ)
    Mary Landrieu (D-LA)
    Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ)
    Carl Levin (D-MI)
    Joe Lieberman (ID-CT)
    Dick Lugar (R-IN)
    Joe Manchin (D-WV)
    John McCain (R-AZ)
    Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
    Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
    Jerry Moran (R-KS)
    Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
    Patty Murray (D-WA)
    Bill Nelson (D-FL)
    Ben Nelson (D-NE)
    Rob Portman (R-OH)
    Mark Pryor (D-AR)
    John Reed (D-RI)
    Harry Reid (D-NV)
    Pat Roberts (R-KS)
    Jay Rockefeller (D-WV)
    Marco Rubio (R-FL)
    Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
    Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
    Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
    Richard Shelby (R-AL)
    Olympia Snowe (R-ME)
    Jon Tester (D-MT)
    John Thune (R-SD)
    Pat Toomey (R-PA)
    Mark Udall (D-CO)
    Tom Udall (D-NM)
    Mark Warner (D-VA)
    Jim Webb (D-VA)
    Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
    Roger Wicker (R-MS)
    Ron Wyden (D-OR)
     
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