That video is from over a year ago. And then there’s this from last week:
After years of political pressure from politicians, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar says that he expects the federal government to deliver unmanned aircraft to watch over the Texas border with Mexico by this fall.
Cuellar, a Democrat from Laredo, Texas, said last week that he has had discussions with top officials from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s office of air and marine operations, and they agreed to the timetable, subject to Federal Aviation Administration approval to allow the surveillance planes – often referred to in the political vernacular as “Predator drones” – to fly over Texas.
The show ’24’ had drones flying over Manhattan as a normal, every day thing. Given how relatively invisible they can be from the ground, they may be flying above you right now and you don’t know it. But you have nothing to hide, right?
Nice report by a news agency that is, for a change, serving its intended function as a government watchdog. This is just a cheaper and quieter way to do what they’ve already been doing with helicopters, but I can see the problem with the “quieter” part and the long flight duration: they can watch anyone without them realizing it and can do this for long periods of time.
I’m sure some creative citizen will come up with something to shadow it since it’s not manned and such tailing wouldn’t endanger anyone (although I’m sure they’d make it illegal in some way, like “interfering with police (state) operations):
http://diydrones.com/
A drone with a reservoir of artificial bird droppings could do a real number on the transparency of an optical dome, but that would be just plane [sic] _wrong_ and I would never advocate that.
And idiot that knows nothing about how the airspace in the US works wrote:
“Given how relatively invisible they can be from the ground, they may be flying above you right now and you don’t know it.”
24 isn’t a documentary. They are no more invisable than a Cessna 172. Why the story you are reading is even in the news is because the FAA has not allowed them in non-military airspace except very rarely. When they have been flown in non-restricted airspace they notify everybody and their dog. Because they aren’t capable of the “See and Avoid” that is required under Visual Flight Rules.
Can they be equipped with long range tasers?
#2 Good point. Seems FAA rules have not been updated to support UAV’s in US airspace.
Perhaps border airspace with some conditions (like population centers, etc) are in the works.
I support UAV’s for border patrol – armed ones.
I have no problems with the drones flying surveillance over the borders, whether that border be Mexico or Canada, as long as they are unarmed, and their role is to watch the borders.
Putting even a pea-shooter in any of them, and they cross the line.
I didn’t know those were allowed to be used over here. I used to live on the coast of Florida, and before I left I heard they were planning on using a powered-parasail-go-cart thing to watch the beaches (kinda like the flying snowmobiles in one of the later James bond films) because they couldn’t use unmanned drones.
How much will it cost to “seal the border”?
All the Republicans and even some Democrats are demanding that we “seal the border.”
But do they ever put a price tag on it? I’ve never heard one.
It will be trillions, right?
And, for sure, it will only slow down illegal immigration since millions of them never went across that border anyway.
Whenever you hear someone say, “We need to seal the border!!!” your first question should be “How much will it cost?”
More proof that Texas will break away from the USA. The police will turn into their National Guard. Good for you, go for it rednecks.
#9 Don’t think so and familiar enough with Texas to be assured that Texas ‘ceding from the union’ won’t happen.
While I agree conservative yahoos are running the place, there are enough sane people to know these yahoos are merely performing for their sheep.
I would agree we need an aggressive border security plan from the Federal government – where immigration laws are suppose to come from.
Ahhh, welcome to my world.
Uncle Dave “… But you have nothing to hide, right?” – Failed, pointless argument that frankly has absolutely nothing to do with the legal concept here, but still sounds titillating, right Dave? Right! Got me to read and post so you must be doing something right.
Dallas – “I support UAV’s for border patrol – armed ones.” – Good to see you support killing from a drone, now thats Goddamn American! Innocent until proven guilty in a court of law has worked for centuries, but you would know better of course.
Greg Allen – Uh-huh. Perhaps some high school drama classes are looking for you.
The government loves drones except when they are used against them. You can have your own automated recon drone for a few grand and you don’t even need an air strip.
Linkage: video, website.
Arm them with indelible spray paint. What color?….. Ummm. How about Green? That certainly is Politically Correct. How could the libs possibly complain about anything that is green???
I wonder, are there any other countries that have open borders that don’t care if you go there and stay and do whatever?
I mean, countries that you ‘would want to go and stay’…
Can’t we just arrest these folks as ‘spies’ and then treat them accordingly?
That’s what they do elsewhere… right?
I can seal the border and return a profit.
Credit card (+ pay pal) operated machine gun towers with Java based controls. HD streaming telescopic thermal/night vision sights.
We merely allow internet gamers to access the towers on the web to pay for play in finding shooting Mexicans coming across the border. Depending on the site, $1/hr, $1/round. $1000 “bounty” reward paid on each kill.
This would completely clear the dead zone… errr.. border within range of the 50 cal.
And the unidentified corpses could be turned into high protein dog food.
Desperate times demand desperate measures.
I wonder if damaging one of them is a misdemeanor or a felony?
Cursor_
#12 Ignorance – I never said I support killing innocent people from drone. An armed drone can have non-lethal weapons. I believe they also have a human being on the other end. No more Terminator movies for you.
Were you in support of drones for taking videos for youtube entertainment?
#1 Winston, rulemaking is underway to make flights of recreational unmanned craft (not autonomous!) above 400 ft AGL illegal. See and avoid requirements must be met, and the operator must have direct control and see the craft at all times.
I believe flying autonomous, not in visual range, aircraft of ANY size is currently illegal without a special waiver from the FAA.
Your plan will bring heavy fines et cetera.
Perhaps Google Earth View will sponsor drones? If they produce accurate geotag data to support high resolution low altitude ground photography, a squadron of these would quickly map large areas.
Nice to see they are spending their speeding ticket money wisely.
#15 Bil said “I wonder, are there any other countries that have open borders that don’t care if you go there and stay and do whatever?”
One way to find out, go due North from Guatemala.
Some small drones are cheap. All you have is a remote controlled “toy” airplane with a video camera on board. I think some go for less than $500.
These small drones do the same thing observation choppers do. They do it much, much, much cheaper and some can do it for much longer at a time. The cost of keeping a chopper in the air for seven hours might cover the cost of the drone shown.
Which had you rather have crash on your house; a fifteen pound drone or several hundred pounds of chopper?
Now, Dallas, its undignified to quibble.
“Armed”===”bearing firearms”
If you meant “equipped” thats a different word entirely.
So resistant we all are to admit being tagged. Spoiled children failed to learn the better lessons at recess.
Quibbling is for kids. Debate is for adults.
>> deowll said, on May 17th, 2010 at 5:19 pm
>> Some small drones are cheap. All you have is a remote controlled “toy” airplane with a video camera on board. I think some go for less than $500.
I was watching a Jihadi channel on Arab satellite TV and they showing off this little drone they had captured.
It looked just like a remote control airplane you’d see a hobbyist use in the states.
I wondered if they had been punked or something but I’ve learned that this is a real thing.
Seems like a good idea although what could the range be?
#24 why so you quibble with armed vs equiped?
The drone I had in mind had mechanical arms that tossed a net to snare the trespassing Mejicanos.
In the news clip, they seem to be trying to drum up the idea that this is a new/invasive attack on privacy, but I fail to see how it’s different (legally) from a police helicopter. Sure it can stay up longer and quieter, but if they have the legal right to watch us from helicopters, then it seems like they have the legal right to watch us from drones. This line of argument has long been left by the wayside.
Because a helicopter requires $1000 an hour to fly, and a drone maybe $250. There could be 4 times as many drones keeping track of the citizenry, increasing the “casual” surveilance of us (looking for major and minor infractions, like not coming to a complete stop at a sign).
No city can afford wide area casual surveilance by helicopter.