sailingaway
03-10-2013, 01:35 PM
One of the military’s newest weapons to come out of its Middle East wars is now a potential domestic threat. Drones—unmanned, remote-control aircraft that can span anywhere from a few inches to more than 100 feet— could soon be utilized by local law enforcement for surveillance purposes in the U.S. Now states are moving to limit or prohibit the technology.
Congress voted in early February to mandate that the Federal Aviation Administration let drones fly in the U.S. airspace by 2015. Concerned that the action will open the floodgates to unbridled use of the technology, states like Virginia are putting out a pre-emptive strike of their own.
“I think there’s a sense of urgency,” says Donald McEachin, a Democratic state senator in Virginia. “I think it’s important to get ahead on issues like these before they get out of control … We can imagine the problems that drones will bring in the future.”
McEachin helped introduce and pass a Virginia bill that, if signed by Governor Bob McDonnell, would place a moratorium on the use of drones in the state for two years. Prompted by fears that the technology could breach Fourth Amendment rights against unlawful search and seizure, the moratorium was the last option for Virginia legislators who couldn’t agree on a more-detailed bill. It’s the nation’s first drone-regulation legislation to be passed.
“We started out with another bill that had certain warrant requirements on it because I believe when the Founding Fathers wrote the Fourth Amendment, they never envisioned a low rider that could sit over your house and see things and hear things,” says McEachin. “Law enforcement is saying that if it’s in plain view we don’t need a warrant, so why should we change it?”
Many states are caught up in a tug-of-war between the will of law enforcement and concerned citizens and legislators.
Last month, the Seattle Police Department decided to terminate its drone program after citizens complained at a city-council meeting. The police department was one of the few agencies green-lighted to use drones by the FAA before 2015; it will be returning its equipment to the manufacturer.
more and internal links: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/03/09/on-the-home-front-drones-are-quickly-shot-down-by-states.html
Now is the time to get involved at the local level, folks.
Congress voted in early February to mandate that the Federal Aviation Administration let drones fly in the U.S. airspace by 2015. Concerned that the action will open the floodgates to unbridled use of the technology, states like Virginia are putting out a pre-emptive strike of their own.
“I think there’s a sense of urgency,” says Donald McEachin, a Democratic state senator in Virginia. “I think it’s important to get ahead on issues like these before they get out of control … We can imagine the problems that drones will bring in the future.”
McEachin helped introduce and pass a Virginia bill that, if signed by Governor Bob McDonnell, would place a moratorium on the use of drones in the state for two years. Prompted by fears that the technology could breach Fourth Amendment rights against unlawful search and seizure, the moratorium was the last option for Virginia legislators who couldn’t agree on a more-detailed bill. It’s the nation’s first drone-regulation legislation to be passed.
“We started out with another bill that had certain warrant requirements on it because I believe when the Founding Fathers wrote the Fourth Amendment, they never envisioned a low rider that could sit over your house and see things and hear things,” says McEachin. “Law enforcement is saying that if it’s in plain view we don’t need a warrant, so why should we change it?”
Many states are caught up in a tug-of-war between the will of law enforcement and concerned citizens and legislators.
Last month, the Seattle Police Department decided to terminate its drone program after citizens complained at a city-council meeting. The police department was one of the few agencies green-lighted to use drones by the FAA before 2015; it will be returning its equipment to the manufacturer.
more and internal links: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/03/09/on-the-home-front-drones-are-quickly-shot-down-by-states.html
Now is the time to get involved at the local level, folks.