How would you feel about drones flying around, checking things out?

[The Mongoose]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100614/ap_on_bi_ge/us_drones_over_america

WASHINGTON – Unmanned aircraft have proved their usefulness and reliability in the war zones of Afghanistan and Iraq. Now the pressure's on to allow them in the skies over the United States.

The Federal Aviation Administration has been asked to issue flying rights for a range of pilotless planes to carry out civilian and law-enforcement functions but has been hesitant to act. Officials are worried that they might plow into airliners, cargo planes and corporate jets that zoom around at high altitudes, or helicopters and hot air balloons that fly as low as a few hundred feet off the ground.

On top of that, these pilotless aircraft come in a variety of sizes. Some are as big as a small airliner, others the size of a backpack. The tiniest are small enough to fly through a house window.

 

[TheDeuce53]

No thanks.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

i doubt there's much i'd like about living in an afghan village right now

 

[Lon Huang]

If they were to fly above cities such as
San Diego, Nogales, El Paso, or Laredo..
I would be all for it

 

[Det. Brees]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100614/ap_on_bi_ge/us_drones_over_america

Its already happening. there is a company that provides them to civilian companies that have a need for them. They are very similar in appearance to the common RC aircraft you can purchase at the local hobby store.

 

[geauxboy]

If they're asking now, it means they are already doing it and have been busted for doing so.

 

[The Mongoose]

Fear the state, homies. There's no way this can lead to anything good.

 

[Charlie Brizzown]

As long as they can avoid the problems of running into things I'm all for it.

 

[JimEverett]

How is this different from police helicopters?

 

[purvis_guy]

Will there be U.S. Army Apache gunships up there to support them?

 

[City Champ]

in the USA? No...

anywhere outside of the USA, yep...

 

[jpcdolphan]

As long as any safety concerns are addressed and they aren't using it for something crazy like looking inside windows or whatnot, I'm having a tough time getting too bent out of shape about it.

As noted, there are already things like police helicopters and traffic cams so I can't see how some line has been crossed just because the aircraft is pilotless.

 

[The Mongoose]

They can't fly a police helicopter through your kitchen window.

There's also a large fuel cost with helicopters that prevents them from being all over the place all the time. These things are only getting smaller and cheaper.

I thought you fellas on the left would be with me on this one. Personal privacy and all that. Disgust with fascists cops and all.

 

[dtc]

They can't fly a police helicopter through your kitchen window.

There's also a large fuel cost with helicopters that prevents them from being all over the place all the time. These things are only getting smaller and cheaper.

I thought you fellas on the left would be with me on this one. Personal privacy and all that. Disgust with fascists cops and all.

Mount them with 50 cal chain guns and use them to kill anyone sneaking across the border and I'm cool, but the minute they're flying around a US city giving speeding tickets I'm rethinking my opposition to privately held ground to air missiles.