By Catherine Herridge: May 14, 2012 FoxNews.com
Unmanned drones could soon be buzzing in the skies above many U.S. cities, as the federal government green-lights
the technology for local law enforcement amid widespread privacy concerns.
The Federal Aviation Administration on Monday began to explain the rules of the sky for these newly licensed drones
at potentially dozens of sites across the country. The agency, on its website, said that government "entities" will have
to obtain a special certificate in order to fly the aircraft, adding that the FAA is "streamlining the process for public
agencies to safely fly (drones) in the nation's airspace."
In doing so, the government is taking a tool that has become synonymous with U.S. counterterror warfare in countries
like Pakistan and Yemen -- and putting it in the hands of U.S. law enforcement.
Unlike some of the drones used overseas, these will not be equipped with missiles. They are to be used purely for surveillance.
But that alone has raised serious privacy concerns on Capitol Hill and beyond.
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=unmaned_drone_76024283_fullwidth_620x350.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/unmaned_drone_76024283_fullwidth_620x350.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Drones have already been employed domestically. In what was described as the first case where an unmanned drone was used
to arrest an American citizen on U.S. soil, a North Dakota SWAT team reportedly borrowed a Department of Homeland Security
drone to monitor Rodney Brossart -- who was involved in a 16-hour standoff at his North Dakota farm over six cattle that had
wandered onto his property and which he claimed as his own. The SWAT team apparently used the drone to make sure it was
safe to arrest him, though his lawyer has since claimed Brossart was subjected to guerrilla-like police tactics and had his
constitutional rights violated.
Advocates, though, say the drones are a force-multiplier for local cops.
Unmanned drones could soon be buzzing in the skies above many U.S. cities, as the federal government green-lights
the technology for local law enforcement amid widespread privacy concerns.
The Federal Aviation Administration on Monday began to explain the rules of the sky for these newly licensed drones
at potentially dozens of sites across the country. The agency, on its website, said that government "entities" will have
to obtain a special certificate in order to fly the aircraft, adding that the FAA is "streamlining the process for public
agencies to safely fly (drones) in the nation's airspace."
In doing so, the government is taking a tool that has become synonymous with U.S. counterterror warfare in countries
like Pakistan and Yemen -- and putting it in the hands of U.S. law enforcement.
Unlike some of the drones used overseas, these will not be equipped with missiles. They are to be used purely for surveillance.
But that alone has raised serious privacy concerns on Capitol Hill and beyond.
<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&current=unmaned_drone_76024283_fullwidth_620x350.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/unmaned_drone_76024283_fullwidth_620x350.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
Drones have already been employed domestically. In what was described as the first case where an unmanned drone was used
to arrest an American citizen on U.S. soil, a North Dakota SWAT team reportedly borrowed a Department of Homeland Security
drone to monitor Rodney Brossart -- who was involved in a 16-hour standoff at his North Dakota farm over six cattle that had
wandered onto his property and which he claimed as his own. The SWAT team apparently used the drone to make sure it was
safe to arrest him, though his lawyer has since claimed Brossart was subjected to guerrilla-like police tactics and had his
constitutional rights violated.
Advocates, though, say the drones are a force-multiplier for local cops.
