patrick.net

HousingWatcher says

privacy advocates.

IS that what we call Americans now?

Predator Drone pilot is the fastest gorowing occupation in America. Who needs to gol to college? Buy Microsoft Flight Simulator and you too can prepare for an excitig career as a Drone pilot. I actually saw a job ad for a Drone pilot on usajobs.gov not that long ago. I was going to apply, but it required a pilot's license. A pilot's license, really??

You know how price/cost drops with technology. Look at any example you want - computers, flat screen TVs etc. It makes sense that metropolitan area will all have these. Way cheaper than the helicopters they use now.

Drone helicopters would be needed though for pursuit of crime suspects.
Eventually, you could probably have several drone helicopters in pursuit for the cost of what one helicopter does now. And much quieter and stealthier, which would be good for everyone except the bad guys.

Right. "the bad guys". The mythical BAD GUYS... Last week it was peaceful protestors across America, before that it was Muslims and any general darkie.. what's YOUR definition of "bad guy" Today Marcus?

Is this the America you know? Are these the bad guys you think of:

http://www.cleveland.com/nation/index.ssf/2009/10/acoustic_warfare_pittsburgh_po.html

http://www.infowars.com/6-creepy-new-weapons-police-and-military-use-to-subdue-unarmed-people/

If you really think these tech DEV efforts are focused at subduing "bad guys" - lets you just call them "the worst of the worst", it worked before, then that's just too naive for words.

It was much better back in my day when drones were called UFOs and the rendition of US citizens was called alien butt rape.

kentm says

what's YOUR definition of "bad guy" Today Marcus?

I wasn't advocating total authoritarian control or a loss of civil liberties. In fact I find that aspect of this subject and of technology growth/improvement in general pretty scary.(This is a separate conversation from what I was talking about - and I understand where you're coming from because of recent legislation).

I was only observing that where helicopters are commonly used in places like LA, and have been for years (by police) to pursue criminals (you know like guys that just robbed a bank or lesser crimes), especially if they are on foot, drones will probably be used eventually, that is instead of the helicopters they use now. Drone helicopters.

Just as with helicopters when they are used for this now, you probably need two people to operate these, or maybe three. One to fly the helicopter, and another to run the spotlights, watch the pusuit and communicate with the cops on the ground.

Who says the drones will only be used to observe criminals???

What do you think those Hell Fire missiles are there for? Beauty?

I feel like I've seen this plot before about military hardware being used for civilan policing.....

Message to kentm:

DON'T TAZE ME DUDE !!!

Maybe at a time when it's less far fetched than ever in our life time that we could become a police state, I shouldn't have been talking about good and efficient uses of such technology by police.

But there is a certain irony to my being accused of possibly advocating something that wasn't the slightest bit implied in my post. I'm just glad that kentm does't have a naivety police that will come and sweep me away in the dark of night and take me to some gulag.