Sky drone to help police in Florida, increases privacy concerns
According to Reuters, the paradigm of military UAVs is soon to be replicated by Miami police in Miami, Florida. Military UAVs are being continuously improved in the Iraq and Afghanistan battlefields, to a degree that they are now regarded as indispensable tools for a modern army.
This success has apparently not gone unnoticed among law enforcement agencies and if Honeywell’s drone wins approval by the Federal Aviation Administration of the US, it will soon help the Miami police force in its missions. The drone itself weighs only 6.3 kg, can be carried in a backpack, and is equipped by cameras to do the necessary surveillance work.
The fact that the whole business has to do with integration of existing and not-so-exotic components means that drones are developed by a host of small companies. They are all looking for future business to satisfy tremendous demand in the US and -why not- worldwide from camera-happy UK to any police force that is cash-strapped and short on personnel.
While safety and technical regulations can be enforced, the big remaining question mark is the regulations of use that will imply the extend and type of use. Drones could well replace helicopters as cheap and equally effective alternatives, but in an equally effective way could be used as spy or surveillance devices. Given that flying drones are effectively cameras that could be employed anywhere and at any time, it is almost certain that their use will spark new privacy concerns.
Link: Reuters
