Saw this on the news, and then read about it today on engadget as well. Interesting points - 50 pound chopper, to be used primarily for surveillance, but also weapons capable. Local 2 News has a tendency to blow things out of proportion, and they clearly wanted to sensationalize this, but the technology does raise some interesting privacy issues that may need to be addressed in the long run. Is an individual invading someones privacy if they capture video of activities that might otherwise be private??
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Ref the Police quad in the river;I think not mechanical or electronics failure, nor pilot error,: after two years failing to get CAA permission to operate they dropped it in the river for the insurance. (If they had asked CAA before using over that pop concert event they might have been dealt with more favourably).
Demonstrated a mini uav to police some years back, they didnt want to hear about legalities, "We are the Police!"
There has been legal interpretations of the vertical property rules. I wonder if the moon as it swept over allowed me its real estates ;-)
with my limited knowledge of legal precidence in USA. This is what i came across
"Supreme Court, in Kyllo v. United States addressed privacy implications of monitoring electrical use in the home. (Search warrant needed for Thermal Imaging)"
@basshead / Mike- Even at that, they don't need to be ABOVE my property (air rights extend vertically from the perimeter of one's land) to see what is going on ON my property. How many of us live in areas where we can see what is going on in our neighbors back yard from a second or third story window? I think this would be similar.
"only so much of the airspace above their property as they may reasonably use in connection with their enjoyment of the underlying land"
See United States v. Causby
See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_rights
@basshead I don't believe you have any rights to airspace above your house!
As has been said, the gap between marketing and reality is as ever huge. Your right the media love stories like this, I do at sUAS News it makes the counter go nuts!!
Still very much a snake oil filled market place.
Approximately 550 nanometers (One measureable wavelength of green light) would be my guess.
@Gary, yep - I missed it.
Sweet flying flash bang!
lawyer: "how did you discover the defendants' consensual but unlawful activities?"
LEO: "they were in plain view"
lawyer: "from the street?"
LEO: "yes, I was in the street."
lawyer: "did you use a camera?"
LEO: "yes"
lawyer: "was it in your hand? where was it?"
LEO: "on a flying hummingbird robot device."
lawyer: "and where was this flying hummingbird?"
LEO: "in the defendants' home"
lawyer: "their bedroom, isn't that right? and did you have a warrant to enter the property?"
LEO: "yes, I mean no. Yes it was in the bedroom, but no we did not have a warrant. We didn't need one. We didn't open any doors, we just flew in. If I come across an open door it is probable cause to enter the location to make sure the inhabitants are safe."
lawyer: "and by what route did your flying robot bird enter the premises of my clients?"
LEO: "well ... I flew it down the chimney... but it wasn't locked or barred."
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