Interesting legislative activity in the Lone Star State:
A drone, no bigger than a toy airplane, hovered north of the Texas Capitol, floating over the heads of lawmakers who were momentarily distracted from their morning meetings. Several of them gathered beneath it, faces tilted skyward, marveling over a pair of goggles that allowed them to watch live video of the craft’s panoramic bird’s-eye view.
But when the conversation turned to the reason for the demonstration, the tone shifted. Representative Lance Gooden, Republican of Terrell, said he was sponsoring legislation to prevent this futuristic technology — increasingly used by everyone from aviation hobbyists to law enforcement authorities — from capturing “indiscriminate surveillance.”
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/03/us/lawmakers-aim-to-limit-drones-and-safeguard-privacy.html?_r=0
http://radio.woai.com/cc-common/mainheadlines3.html?feed=119078&article=10784277
Of particular interest to our community:
“It will be a greater burden on the hobbyists, but I think that’s O.K.,” Mr. Gooden said. “If you’re asking me to choose between my right to privacy and a hobbyist’s right to take pictures from the sky, my privacy comes first.”
and a counterpoint:
“If I’m using it to continuously monitor somebody, I think we could make a law that would forbid such a thing,” Dr. Humphreys said. “But if I’m up there doing some other benign research and happen to capture your picture inadvertently, I don’t think ought to be outlawed.”
And as an administrative note, Chris has created a forum for talking about government drone regulations.
http://diydrones.com/forum/categories/regulation/listForCategory
Comments
I've started an analysis and write-up of the legislation here:
http://eastbay-rc.blogspot.com/2013/02/notes-on-proposed-drone-legi...
My goal is to present a clear set of hobbyist use cases and suggested amendments to protect hobbyist and "light commercial" flying under that regulation.
It's a work-in-progress, and I'm looking for feedback... please leave comments (either here or on that page) if you think there's something I'm overlooking.
Why not take the tack that they are doing nothing somebody with a smartphone wedged in a tree could do for hours.
on those links alot of commentators were talking about shooting down the drone, we deserve protection too.
Drones aren't the problem. Not even by a long shot. If those politicians truly where worried about protecting privacy and “indiscriminate surveillance", they would be going after smart phones and private company surveillance systems pointing cameras out into public space. Today, if there are people nearby then you also have a camera with recording capability nearby. Period.
Attacking drones is just an easy and sure way for the politicians to get free attention.
Well, I think that what is proposed is something like to "repeal the law of gravity" ...
well im going to basic and as much as I want to contue writing them I cant so starting monday yall be my voice.
Ya, I saw a video of this moron saying "you could park a $500 drone over your neighbors house, 24/7 and watch their kid's". I want those batteries! It's right wing and left wing politicians trying to cash in on the public's anti drone / anti big brother irrational hysteria. Fueled by a clueless media, that is fueled by a clueless & paranoid population.
Hopefully reason will prevail in the end.
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