Come On, Folks, Drones Are Cool - And They Have Lots Of Uses Besides Killing People
His department is a trailblazer in the use of unmanned aircraft, and he launches a drone equipped with an infrared camera to search from the skies. No wayward ramblers have been rescued in this way yet, but he hopes to find one soon.
Their fears are centred on the prospect of surveillance. Since drones can be far cheaper to buy than helicopters--tens of thousands of dollars, as against a few million--the worry is that cameras will be sent up into the sky far more frequently. Even if they are not on a deliberate spy mission, they may capture incidental footage that leads to an investigation, such as evidence of marijuana plantations. Still, at least in Mesa County, the drones have been used for search and rescue efforts and photographing crime scenes. "We're not spying on everybody," says Mr Miller. "We haven't done a single surveillance mission."
In any case, it may not be so easy for a police department to perform round-the-clock surveillance. Their drones are much less sophisticated than military types like Predators, which can remain aloft for 40 hours at a height of 25,000 feet or 8,000 metres (although the Department of Homeland Security has purchased ten Reapers, a new version of the Predator, for border patrols.) The FAA specifies that drones used by public-safety agencies must weigh 4.4lb (2 kilograms) or less, which can be increased to 25lb if the operator is judged proficient. And they are governed by strict rules in the air. They cannot fly higher than 400 feet and must remain within the line of sight of the operator.
Some police forces, however, face obstacles. Florida lawmakers have proposed limiting their use in the state. And in Seattle, two drones that were bought in 2010 for police use have never gone into service. After a hullabaloo, the mayor announced that the programme was to be scrapped. It will soon be easier for police forces to have more eyes in the sky, but first they will have to win over a hostile public.
Click here to subscribe to The Economist
- Exploring the world on wheels: International road trips from India
- 10 worst food combinations you must avoid as per ayurveda
- Top seeds that keep you cool all summer
- 8 mouthwatering mango recipes to try this season
- India's hidden gems where the thermometer doesn't cross 20 degrees
- Nothing Phone (2a) blue edition launched
- JNK India IPO allotment date
- JioCinema New Plans
- Realme Narzo 70 Launched
- Apple Let Loose event
- Elon Musk Apology
- RIL cash flows
- Charlie Munger
- Feedbank IPO allotment
- Tata IPO allotment
- Most generous retirement plans
- Broadcom lays off
- Cibil Score vs Cibil Report
- Birla and Bajaj in top Richest
- Nestle Sept 2023 report
- India Equity Market