Aerial drones in Washington

[Dchromey]

So supposedly drones have been flying around and patrolling the USA the past couple years. When I was on rainier New Year's Day, I saw one flying not very fast around rainier. I know we have Fort Lewis and they could just be training. But we do you all think of now aerial drones over USA. they didn't stop the Boston bombings sadly.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jun/19/fbi-drones-domestic-surveillance

Here's the link for the latest on the FBI admitting

[tvashtarkatena]

Currently there is no specific restrictions on government use of drones in WA. The ACLU of WA helped draft legislation to include safeguards regarding government use of drones - disclosure, type, security and longevity of data collected, conditions under which drones may or may not be used. Boeing lobbyists weighed in heavily and shot the proposal down.

 

We'll try again next session. It may take a while.

 

The Seattle Police shitcanned their planned use of drones, for now, after much public outcry. Public pressure, properly applied, can and does work here, but people have to act rather than keep their concerns to themselves.

 

Automation is here to stay. There will be cameras everywhere. There will be drones flying around. There will eventually be robocops. Technology's rapidly expanding capability cannot be limited- there's way too much money to be made, and military contractors are scrambling, successfully, to replace a flagging military market with a growing domestic one. Our drones are coming home, too.

 

Limiting drone use can get complicated. What happens when an drone that patrols wetlands to ensure cows aren't getting into them (currently in use) capture a drug deal?

 

The only hope for a society that wishes to maintain some semblance of privacy and protection from continual surveillance is effective legislation that limits its use and a vigilant populace that makes sure that legislation isn't violated.

 

Edited June 21, 2013 by tvashtarkatena

[Jim]

It's going to be interesting to watch how this progresses. The technology curve is pretty stunning. I've been on one study where we used one of these:

 

Critter Cam in the Sky

 

They are getting cheaper and easier to use. I was working on the Idaho Power big game study mentioned where the plane crashed and two biologists and the pilot were killed. Having been in my share of 'copters and small fixed wing craft for field work in the lower 48 and AK- and having lost colleagues, maybe this cheaper and safer way for some work will cut down on such tragedy.

 

But anyway - they are getting cheaper and everyone loves gadgets. So how this meshes with public privacy is going to be a process.

 

[tvashtarkatena]

for about 600 you can pick up a 4 rotor, video capable drone with an auto hover feature.

 

In 5 years that drone will shoplift a six pack and cigarettes for you from the local mini mart, then give you a hand job.

 

In 10 years the drone will be the one giving the orders.

[Crux]

"Now Google is buying up military robot makers.

I see no problem with this at all.

But I will point out that it's the plot to the Terminator."

--noticed on Twitter today @thurrott

[Fairweather]

I think at some point there will have to be a legal/political/moral distinction made between human-controlled and autonomous drones.

[ivan]

which should i fear more, a human w/ malicious intent or a machine that's figured that out on it's own?

[olyclimber]

The Skynet Funding Bill is passed. The system goes on-line August 4th, 1997. Human decisions are removed from strategic defense. Skynet begins to learn at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Eastern time, August 29th. In a panic, they try to pull the plug.

[ivan]

it's all fun n' games until the sex-toys become self-aware

[tvashtarkatena]

There are no squadrons of drones monitoring the US - the FAA doesn't allow flights over most of the country (hobby drones being the exception). The few drones that have been used domestically have been for things like monitoring fence lines along water supplies and such. Any drone seen near Rainier was over or near to a military reservation.

 

24 states have applied to the FAA to establish drone test sites.

 

Congress has required the FAA to come up with regulations that allow commercial drone use in 2015. Several cities have passed drone regulations - Texas prohibits drone surveillance.

 

Washington's proposed drone regulation, which addresses government use only, was kilt by Boeing lobbyists this time around. Proponents will attempt to convince Boeing that privacy protections will actually make the public less leery of drones, and so help their sales. The next bill will likely contain some language addressing commercial use.

 

One thing is for sure - drones are cheap and useful. They will be everywhere (primarily commercial varieties) in huge numbers really soon.

 

 

[Eric T]

Hey All,

 

I've been in on the UAV (Unmanned Ariel Vehicle) movement for over 10 years now. Meaning I used them extensively in Iraq and Afghanistan where it was my job to field cutting edge technologies with US Forces in battle. My consulting firm was used by some major US corporations to advise them on UAV's I'm also a pilot.

 

Respectfully, I don't believe that anyone saw a "drone" from Mt. Rainier. In all likelihood you saw a plane. The big drones can be seen taking off from airports but quickly ascend to well over the altitude of commercial jet liners where they can't be seen unless their optic is reflecting sunlight at you. The hand launched drones are hard to see even if you're flying (directing) them and know exactly where they are.

 

Amazon's thing was a publicity stunt and they will not be using them for package delivery anytime soon.

 

Here's the thing, any monitoring system has a platform, a sensor and a network. The platform can be a pole, the sensor a camera and the network a wire. How long have they had cameras on poles?

 

In UAV's the platform is aerial the sensor is a camera and the network is wireless. What peeps don't think about is that a person still has to watch this feed and use the information in a timely manor for it to work.

 

They don't have guys to stand around in the corners. Either that guy can be in the bushes looking at you through a rifle scope or he can be someplace else looking at you through a video screen. I'd rather be viewed through a video screen.

 

I think the police are as ignorant as the general public on UAV's. It's been Christmas for the police since the war started 10 years ago, they have been getting federal money right and left in the form of grants. Often this includes military hardware or trickle down technologies from the war.

The latest flavor on tech items is UAV's. The cops don't even know what they're going to do with them or have a person to operate them when they arrive. They just have there hands out and are taking whatever they can get.

 

Bottom line, I'm far more worried about my erosion of privacy in my electronic and voice communications being captured, cataloged and listened to than I am about someone viewing me from an aerial platform.

 

Don't believe the hype.....

 

 

Edited December 22, 2013 by Eric T