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It will take a few years, but drone use will trickle down from the military into federal and local enforcement branches. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Militari

It will take a few years, but drone use will trickle down from the military into federal and local enforcement branches. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Militarization_of_police https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Militarization_of_police I'm curious about the flight plan approval and filing process they go through with the FAA. Also wondering if the flights show up on the 5 minute delayed ASDI API: http://www.fly.faa.gov/ASDI/asdi.html http://www.fly.faa.gov/ASDI/asdi.html And if the drones carry ADS-B transceivers and if they show up on other transceivers during flight. (Which would make them visible/trackable to anyone ground or air based that is listening) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_dependent_surveillance_%E2%80%93_broadcast https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_dependent_surveillan...

gozur88 11y ago
The FBI and DEA (at least) already use drones. Personally, from a law enforcement perspective I don't see the big difference between drones and manned aircraft. What really matters is what kind of sensors are on the aircraft and what they do with the data.
- __jal 11y ago
  I see a difference. Not today, because military drones (as far as I know) are still human-piloted. But that won't last. And then... It is the same difference as exists between automatic license plate readers and people standing on a corner with a pad and paper. I realize that a certain mindset (active in legal circles, but not exclusively so) that doesn't see that capabilities end up swallowing the original tradeoffs in some contexts. Put a different way, you're right. There's no capability difference. Lower cost and automation will simply allow much, much more of the same. Like how automatic weapons offer no capability difference over a single shot rifle - they just do the same thing faster. Hm...
  - gozur88 11y ago
    Maybe eventually. Right now it's still cheaper to put a guy up there in a Cessna.

gozur88 11y ago

The FBI and DEA (at least) already use drones. Personally, from a law enforcement perspective I don't see the big difference between drones and manned aircraft. What really matters is what kind of sensors are on the aircraft and what they do with the data.

__jal 11y ago
I see a difference. Not today, because military drones (as far as I know) are still human-piloted. But that won't last. And then... It is the same difference as exists between automatic license plate readers and people standing on a corner with a pad and paper. I realize that a certain mindset (active in legal circles, but not exclusively so) that doesn't see that capabilities end up swallowing the original tradeoffs in some contexts. Put a different way, you're right. There's no capability difference. Lower cost and automation will simply allow much, much more of the same. Like how automatic weapons offer no capability difference over a single shot rifle - they just do the same thing faster. Hm...
- gozur88 11y ago
  Maybe eventually. Right now it's still cheaper to put a guy up there in a Cessna.