Yes Virginia, That Is A Drone

Virginia governor Bob McDonnell is an enthusiastic and outspoken supporter of using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) for police work.  In an interview last week at local station WTOP the governor stated that using UAVs to monitor the citizens of the Commonwealth was "the right thing to do."  

When it comes to trampling upon the rights of private citizens the bridges linking thought, speech and action are short and sturdy.  I wouldn't count on rigorous legal protection.  When it comes to issues of privacy the legal system is slow to respond to new technologies and the legislation generally weak and/or ineffective.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by John Muir on June 12, 2012 at 6:18am

With you on the pot thing, Jared,  but Meth is a different story - 

Permalink Reply by John Galt on June 8, 2012 at 8:27pm

Helicopter or drone, if it hovers over my property at a low altitude, it's going to go MIA. It's just that simple. I don't take kindly to warrantless government intrusion into my airspace.

Permalink Reply by JonEdanger on June 9, 2012 at 5:17am

I'm going to have to research this to make sure, but my gut reaction is that it's not your airspace. 

Permalink Reply by Suburban Sentinel on June 9, 2012 at 10:34am

I can weigh in on that, airspace is generally public and there are a whole mess of federal, state and local laws that may apply in different scenarios.

Permalink Reply by Milo Morris on June 11, 2012 at 12:21pm

I think the police should get a warrant before launching a drone at a suspect. I don't think the police should be able to send drones around looking for trouble. 

Permalink Reply by Jared Moon on June 11, 2012 at 12:46pm

I agree.  Although warrants can be extrordinarily easy to get even with weak (or no) evidence, make the cops get a warrant and you have a case for the use of drones.  Otherwise, no way.

Permalink Reply by Suburban Sentinel on June 11, 2012 at 8:00pm

Here we go... U.S. News reports that a North Dakota man was apprehended with the assistance of a drone.  The authorities report that the drone was not used to gather intelligence on whether a crime had been committed but was only brought on scene to determine whether a SWAT team could safely approach and apprehend the armed suspect.

Note however that the drone utilized was a Predator type, a rather substantial sized, advanced drone used extensively by the military and the CIA.  The drone was on loan from the Dept. of Homeland Security.  The incident between the police and the landowner/suspect arose out of a dispute over the ownership of six cows.

North Dakota ranchers are considering outfitting their cows with electronic jamming countermeasures called Mission Observation Obstructors (MOO).

Permalink Reply by Chuck Knight on June 11, 2012 at 8:10pm

North Dakota ranchers are considering outfitting their cows with electronic jamming countermeasures called Mission Observation Obstructors (MOO).

 

Given the love of ironic naming conventions that seems to be a constant thread for geeks, I'm actually not 100% certain this last paragraph is a joke.

Permalink Reply by Suburban Sentinel on June 11, 2012 at 9:00pm

The last paragraph was a joke, but I have seen stranger things happen

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