Saturday, June 16, 2012

It's a drones' drones' drones' drones' world...

There is an oddly prophetic little scene in the science fiction movie They Live, filmed more than 20 years ago. In it, an alien disguised as a businessman radios in the location of the film’s main character to police. Within seconds a little camera-sporting flying saucer buzzes in overhead to start video surveillance.

Aerial surveillance drones are no longer the stuff of science fiction.

In fact, in coming years they could be all over the US. That disturbs me.

A huge US Navy reconnaissance drone, which cost $176 million in taxpayer’s cash, recently crashed near Salisbury, Maryland.

(...)

Here’s the problem. What if they are used to harass citizens?

The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) got caught using aerial drones to spy on Iowa and Nebraska cattle ranchers recently, and the ranchers don’t like it.

“Nebraskans are rightfully skeptical…,” said Nebraska Rep. Adrian Smith (R-3rd District).

So am I.

People from both the left and the right find common ground in their skepticism over drones in US airspace. Few people trust that the government’s intent is benign. Full story...

Related posts:
  1. From dreams to drones: who is the real Barack Obama?
  2. A killer in the White House...
  3. Police agencies in the United States to begin using drones in 90 days...
  4. Send in the drones: the predator state goes domestic...
  5. Congress OKs 30,000 flying drones spying on Americans across U.S. cities...
  6. Unmanned drones and the militarisation of UK policing...
  7. Have you seen the new toy the Atlanta cops have acquired?
  8. $34 billion spent as local cops ready for war with military weapons...

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