Any of you folks up on the US Drone build up?

[MichnBev]

I had a friend who has a son in college and he will surely graduate this year with high honors (congrats to him) and he is going straight to work for the US Government flying drone aircraft. He is actually already in training. From my understanding they will be highering thousands of youngsters like him to fly these drones right here on US soil. I thought this is all interesting. .

Then I just read this article and it sounds a little over the top:EXCLUSIVE: Justice Department memo reveals legal case for drone strikes on Americans - Open Channel (http://openchannel.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/02/04/16843014-exclusive-justice-department-memo-reveals-legal-case-for-drone-strikes-on-americans?lite)

I see some of you have interest in this sort of thing and thought I would share it here.

[cdat]

It's not just US Govt, oil companies, etc are using drones, along with Universities and colleges. Going to be a big demand for well qualified drone pilots.

[1993Newell]

Maybe I'm missing something but why do they need these drones? Why would oil companies, universities and colleges need drones?

[cdat]

Oil companies equip them with sensors to do some of their exploration, cheaper then using a manned plane, also allows them to inspect pipelines, etc. Universities and Colleges use them for research purposes, ie, archeological exploration, (along with google earth), terrain mapping, wildlife research, etc. I expect that we will see a huge increase in privately owned drones, large ranches to keep an eye on cattle herds, Power companies to inspect power lines, security companies to protect compounds, etc.
I am not going to get into privacy issues, that to me is a subject that could quickly morph into a very touchy political discussion. Suffice to say, I think drones will become the next major issue for courts to rule on.

[speedingsport]

The idea of it may sound cool. But i'll say it the invading of the people's privacy is BS!!!!

[Randy J]

I've heard what these drones can do. Pretty crazy....

[Barthman]

Privacy advocates are worrying that the use of drones in U.S. skies could create a "surveillance society." Kind of looking that way, what do you think?

A future in which unmanned drones are as common in U.S. skies as helicopters and airliners has moved a step closer to reality with a government request for proposals to create six drone test sites around the country. After implementation this year, you will soon see them throughout the entire U.S. in the form of airplanes and helicopters.

The FAA-Federal Aviation Administration made the request last Thursday, kicking off what is anticipated to be an intense competition between states hoping to win one of the sites. Many states are all for the Federal Dollars! Is yours?

The military has come to rely heavily on drones overseas. Possible users at home include police, power companies wanting to monitor transmission lines, farmers needing to detect which crops need water or even ranchers counting cows. Could the paramilitary find a good use for them?

Privacy advocates worry that a proliferation of drones will lead to a "surveillance society" in which Americans are routinely monitored, tracked, recorded and scrutinized by the authorities.

[cdat]

This is a little scary, great for our military, not so sure about civilian or police use.

Like a Swarm of Lethal Bugs: The Most Terrifying Drone Video Yet - Conor Friedersdorf - The Atlantic (http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/02/like-a-swarm-of-lethal-bugs-the-most-terrifying-drone-video-yet/273270/#)

[jWolfe]

John a little scary is right. This is disruptive technology like the article said. "starring micro-UAVs that resemble winged, multi-legged bugs. The drones swarm through alleys, crawl across windowsills, and perch on power lines. One of them sneaks up on a scowling man holding a gun and shoots him in the head." NOT cool! :(n):

[Derek Knight]

You've got to be sh*tting me! They really have stuff like this? I have seen the drones but these little bug/bird things?! Talk about invasion of privacy. When they say you can't take a crap in peace that was an understatement when you see the extremes of this. :cursing: Agreed! NOT COOL at all.

[Neweller]

Of course M.A.V. 's are being built by General Dynamics. A longtime friend of mine use to work for a division of GD that was doing research on these insect or bird type spy vehicles back in the 90's. An ongoing project with the Air Force. He had told me that the Air Force is the key military spy unit of all the armed forces. In fact, they are big into counter manipulation of online communities. I guess you could say they are the biggest trolls of online activity. Actually this is some pretty scary stuff in regard to our liberties.


How about one of these. And this is SWAT in the background not the military.

3417

[NewellCrazy]

John nice find even though this doesn't surprise me one bit. When will we stand for our freedoms and stop taking government handouts aka bribes and take our country back from these crooks!

3418

[Neweller]

Want to see a video of what just one university doing a project came up with:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQIMGV5vtd4

[JustDustin]

If young college kids are creating these, you know who they'll be hired by.

[Randy J]

The drone master?

3439

[cdat]

At the rate these things are being developed, everybody is going to have one in a few years, just like computers. I can just see some little perv sitting in his room peeping thru peoples windows with one of these, or sitting out in the mountains by your RV, while the sheriff depts drone watches your every move. More and more I think I like some of the privacy laws overseas.
My apologies, I forgot to add the link I was referring too.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/18/business/domestic-drones-on-patrol.html?ref=technology&_r=0
John

[Neweller]

When I was in Colorado, I had one fly so low right over my property, I could have almost thrown a rock at it. I was like what the heck. It obviously came from Peterson AFB. We are no doubt the most spied on civilization in the history of the world. We're transparent, but our government sure isn't. John, you are so right about so many other countries having way more privacy protection for its citizens. I always feel freer when visiting other lands and then coming back is a nightmare. There are still so many people in other countries who think they want what we have, but they don't realize we lost it a long time ago.

Something else I might add, is that there is a lot of BS propaganda out there trying to make us think it is unsafe to travel to many places around the world. I have found that to be a whole lot of total BS too.

[speedingsport]

John I know what you mean man...I know what you mean. :thumbdn: