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It seems like this article buried the best lede of the story on paragraph ten, which explains Flock's new business of surveillance drones launched in response t

It seems like this article buried the best lede of the story on paragraph ten, which explains Flock's new business of surveillance drones launched in response to 911 calls (and also presumably triggered by other alerts configured by police and private businesses). > Flock has recently expanded into other technologies... Most concerning are the latest Flock drones equipped with high-powered cameras. Flock's "Drone as First Responder" platform automates drone operations, including launching them in response to 911 calls or gunfire. Flock's drones, which reach speeds up to 60 mph, can follow vehicles or people and provide information to law enforcement.

SoftTalker 6mo ago
Hunter-Killers not far behind.
- mystraline 6mo ago
  Nor is the Butlerian Jihad.
  - goatlover 6mo ago
    Just need a giant worm god to put us on the right path.
    - mystraline 6mo ago
      "Once men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them." - Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam, Dune
Forgeties79 6mo ago
Code 8-style cop drone drops incoming
jonas21 6mo ago
This is much less concerning to me than mass surveillance. If someone calls 911 and you need to send a first responder, why not send a drone to get there faster while a person is on their way?
- sheiyei 6mo ago
  As a concept, first responder drones are a good idea. But I wouldn't want public services having anything to do with that company.
- jeffbee 6mo ago
  Yeah this doesn't bother me in any way, shape, or form. We already have manned aircraft that respond to such things, unmanned aircraft are a strictly better solution. It makes sense for police and it makes even more sense for fire. An aircraft can arrive at the site of a reported fire while firemen are still buckling their pants.
  - dmbche 6mo ago
    You get manned aircraft to come and check in before the police when you call 911?
    - jeffbee 6mo ago
      Yes, often the first response to some calls is a CHP aircraft that continuously loiters in the area.
    - dghlsakjg 6mo ago
      In high school in the mid 2000s in Denver, they had a chopper in the air on weekend nights from 8 until 2:30 am or so. When our parties got called in, the spotlight would be the warning that the cops were a few minutes away and it was time to run. Lots of cities have manned aircraft loitering during busy times that will respond to a call before ground units
  - platevoltage 6mo ago
    There is an endless list of infractions to civil liberties that would "Make sense for police".
roughly 6mo ago
They do more than that - our local PD gave a presentation on what Flock’s pitching - ALPRs, fixed pan/tilt cameras, “citizen cameras,” drones, and a whole “sensor fusion” software suite that lets you stitch in everything along with data from surrounding precincts which also have Flock (think Palantir for local cops). We were pretty shocked at the scale.
mullingitover 6mo ago
In Southern California we have eye-wateringly expensive (and loud) police aircraft flying 24x7. I’m not a fan of Flock but I would welcome anything that knocks out some of the ghetto birds’ budget.
jm4 6mo ago
That’s actually really cool and I don’t feel like it’s invasive. It’s surveillance in a specific location for a specific purpose and in response to certain emergencies. Active shooter is probably the first thing that comes to mind, but accidents, fires, unexpected disasters, etc. could all be situations where this technology helps assess the situation and inform response.
- _DeadFred_ 6mo ago
  "CITIZEN there has been a report of a shooting in the area, please remain motionless as we scan your face for biometrics. Scan complete. Please do not move or attempt to leave the area until you have been notified via the 'GovernmentForYou' app that you are cleared to leave the area. Because you have been identified in the active area police have been granted legal probable cause to search your home. Please unlock your homes doors via any smart home app you have to prevent the authorities from forcibly removing your door onsite Notification. Citizen because of your scan you have been identified as committing a bank fraud case in North Dakota and will be detained and transported (the move process takes 2-4 weeks). Once in North Dakota your right to a speedy trial will start if you are held more than the reasonable 60 day administration period. Have a good day citizen and thank you for your cooperation."
  - JuniperMesos 6mo ago
    What would actual human cops do if there was a report of a shooting in an area, and they were investigating it?
iwontberude 6mo ago
Thank you for finding this nugget, I really only read HN comments and rarely the source material. You all have been my LLM summary for a decade at least.
ramraj07 6mo ago
I can anticipate this starting to happen: shoot into the sky, wait for flock drone to start coming in, then shoot it! Free target practice!

SoftTalker 6mo ago

Hunter-Killers not far behind.

mystraline 6mo ago
Nor is the Butlerian Jihad.
- goatlover 6mo ago
  Just need a giant worm god to put us on the right path.
  - mystraline 6mo ago
    "Once men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them." - Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam, Dune

Forgeties79 6mo ago

Code 8-style cop drone drops incoming

jonas21 6mo ago

This is much less concerning to me than mass surveillance. If someone calls 911 and you need to send a first responder, why not send a drone to get there faster while a person is on their way?

sheiyei 6mo ago
As a concept, first responder drones are a good idea. But I wouldn't want public services having anything to do with that company.
jeffbee 6mo ago
Yeah this doesn't bother me in any way, shape, or form. We already have manned aircraft that respond to such things, unmanned aircraft are a strictly better solution. It makes sense for police and it makes even more sense for fire. An aircraft can arrive at the site of a reported fire while firemen are still buckling their pants.
- dmbche 6mo ago
  You get manned aircraft to come and check in before the police when you call 911?
  - jeffbee 6mo ago
    Yes, often the first response to some calls is a CHP aircraft that continuously loiters in the area.
  - dghlsakjg 6mo ago
    In high school in the mid 2000s in Denver, they had a chopper in the air on weekend nights from 8 until 2:30 am or so. When our parties got called in, the spotlight would be the warning that the cops were a few minutes away and it was time to run. Lots of cities have manned aircraft loitering during busy times that will respond to a call before ground units
- platevoltage 6mo ago
  There is an endless list of infractions to civil liberties that would "Make sense for police".

roughly 6mo ago

They do more than that - our local PD gave a presentation on what Flock’s pitching - ALPRs, fixed pan/tilt cameras, “citizen cameras,” drones, and a whole “sensor fusion” software suite that lets you stitch in everything along with data from surrounding precincts which also have Flock (think Palantir for local cops). We were pretty shocked at the scale.

mullingitover 6mo ago

In Southern California we have eye-wateringly expensive (and loud) police aircraft flying 24x7. I’m not a fan of Flock but I would welcome anything that knocks out some of the ghetto birds’ budget.

jm4 6mo ago

That’s actually really cool and I don’t feel like it’s invasive. It’s surveillance in a specific location for a specific purpose and in response to certain emergencies. Active shooter is probably the first thing that comes to mind, but accidents, fires, unexpected disasters, etc. could all be situations where this technology helps assess the situation and inform response.

_DeadFred_ 6mo ago
"CITIZEN there has been a report of a shooting in the area, please remain motionless as we scan your face for biometrics. Scan complete. Please do not move or attempt to leave the area until you have been notified via the 'GovernmentForYou' app that you are cleared to leave the area. Because you have been identified in the active area police have been granted legal probable cause to search your home. Please unlock your homes doors via any smart home app you have to prevent the authorities from forcibly removing your door onsite Notification. Citizen because of your scan you have been identified as committing a bank fraud case in North Dakota and will be detained and transported (the move process takes 2-4 weeks). Once in North Dakota your right to a speedy trial will start if you are held more than the reasonable 60 day administration period. Have a good day citizen and thank you for your cooperation."
- JuniperMesos 6mo ago
  What would actual human cops do if there was a report of a shooting in an area, and they were investigating it?

iwontberude 6mo ago

Thank you for finding this nugget, I really only read HN comments and rarely the source material. You all have been my LLM summary for a decade at least.

ramraj07 6mo ago

I can anticipate this starting to happen: shoot into the sky, wait for flock drone to start coming in, then shoot it! Free target practice!