From: "Lawrence F. London, Jr." <venaurafarm@bellsouth.net>
To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [permaculture] Invasion of the flying robots - CNN.com - improved off grid power equipment for the future...
Date: Mon, 05 Mar 2012 13:51:18 -0500
On 3/4/2012 8:59 PM, Bob Waldrop wrote:
Imagine what the military can (actualy, IS already) doing with this
technology.
This way that keep track of all your permaculture and landscape projects
in your yard, Bob, to help enforce appropriateness guidelines
in neighborhood covenants and city codes for yards and streets. I am
sure you will welcome that......LL
Coming soon to the skies above you — drones, drones and more drones.
And all giving police and who knows who else the chance to peek into
your backyard.
Legislation just signed by President Obama directs the Federal Aviation
Administration to open the skies to remotely controlled drones within
the next three years. It will begin in 90 days with police and first
responders having authority to fly smaller drones of less than 4.4
pounds at altitudes under 400 feet. Gradually, all drones are to be
allowed by Sept. 30, 2015.
The use of drones had been restricted out of civilian aviation safety
concerns created by a sky full of drones flown by untrained operators in
the same space as aircraft. But that was overridden by successful
lobbying of drone makers and customers who will reap the financial
benefits for commercial purposes. “The market for drones is valued at
$5.9 billion and is expected to double in the next decade,” the New York
Times reported.
They can be used by real estate agents to snap aerial photos. But then,
given costs and ease of use, what will stop a member of the paparazzi or
any other prying photographer from using them to get more personal
snapshots? The Times report said a $300 drone can be flown from an iPhone.
The planned expansion extends the militarization of law enforcement that
has been going with the adaptation of military technology and strategies
to civilian law enforcement. Police see several advantages to drones
over other surveillance.
The pilotless craft cost less, are cheaper to operate and can remain
airborne longer. They can be used as a crimefighting tool to patrol from
the skies. Authorities can monitor traffic, search remote areas for
missing persons or watch criminal suspects. But, then, police can watch
a political rally, silently from 30,000 feet overhead.
But also alarming is the danger of escalating their use to include
weapons. Drone builders are researching the use of nonlethal weapons
such as tear gas, tasers and stun guns fired from a drone, and lethal
weaponry can be an easy next step on the slippery slope.
The drones will add to the erosion of privacy that has come with the
ubiquitous cameras and global positioning systems that can monitor our
whereabouts.
The new law is concerned with safety in establishing guidelines and
training requirements for operators. It will be up to governments and
even the courts to enact constitutional safeguards on their use.