7/20/12

"Edge Of A New Horizon" - 106 Government And 4 Private Entities Already Cleared To Fly Domestic Drones

Update on: US Congress Passes "FAA Reauthorization Act": 30,000 Drones By 2020 2-8-12 "The legislation would order the FAA, before the end of the year, to expedite the process through which it authorizes the use of drones by federal, state and local police and other agencies." [see post]
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FAA Has Authorized 106 Government ‘Entities’ to Fly Domestic Drones

(CNSNews.com) - Since Jan. 1 of this year, according to congressional testimony presented Thursday by the Government Accountability Office [GAO], the Federal Aviation Administration has authorized 106 federal, state and local government “entities” to fly “unmanned aircraft systems,” also known as drones, within U.S. airspace.

“We are now on the edge of a new horizon: using unmanned aerial systems within the homeland,” House Homeland Security Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Michael McCaul (R.-Texas) said as he introduced the testimony.

“Currently,” said McCaul, “there are about 200 active Certificates of Authorization issued by the Federal Aviation Administration to over 100 different entities, such as law enforcement departments and academic institutions, to fly drones domestically.” ...In addition to authorizing 106 government agencies to operate drones, the FAA has authorized four private manufacturers to fly drones.

“Currently, no federal agency has specific statutory responsibility to regulate privacy matters relating to UAS. Stakeholders have told us that by developing guidelines for the appropriate use of UASs ahead of widespread proliferation could in fact preclude abuses of the technology and negative public perceptions of the potential uses that are planned for these aircraft.”

Dillingham [GAO spokesman] noted in his written testimony that the proliferation of drone use raises issues under the 4th Amendment, which protects the right of individuals to be free from unreasonable searches.

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Drone surveillance as a reality is a relatively new concept for most. Not long ago at all the idea of "unmanned aircraft systems" used as surveillance tools by the government was not something most people would have even given a second thought to. But that has all changed now in short order. It was only five months ago that Congress passed the legislation that would clear the way for the FAA to "expedite the process" by which "federal, state, and local police and other agencies" would be allowed the use of drones. And true to their word, as seen here, that is exactly what has been going on - a whole lot of expediting. And not only government but private agencies have been given their 'wings' to fly too. And this is just the beginning, the "edge of a new horizon" according to the congressman quoted in the above article

Drone surveillance is over the edge right into Orwells Brave New World. Be informed because it's real and it's here.

compare: Hey America Drones Really Are Coming Says Fox News 'Infomercial' 5-15-12 ""A totalitarian global society requires absolute surveillance of it's subjects. Drones quietly flying high above with cameras scanning the geographic grids night and day can go a long way in achieving that. - "we [really] are gonna see them in this country"...and that in reality this is just part of the overall "militarization of police departments", which is to include "soldiers on the streets" too." [see post]
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'Even So, Come, Lord Jesus' Rev. 22:20

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