FAA restrictions bar wider use of drones to patrol border

GovExec.com ^ | November 30, 2005 | Greta Wodele

[Travis McGee]

Exactly. It's all a matter of will. In ten or twenty years, the invasion will be an irreversible fait accompli, and "realistic" politicians will all agree that we have no alternative but to join Mexico, America and Canada into one nation. That is the game being played under the surface.

[Mulder]

They can't spare drones for the border.

They need them to spy on Americans hundreds of miles away from the borders and to catch speeders.

[cripplecreek]

Visualize America as a mixture of Mexican feudalism and Canadian socialism. I don't know what you would call it but it ain't pretty.

[planekT]

Serfdom.

[socketsquirrel]

constant maintenance, constant monitoring, the threat of having an American wander into the field, you name it. There are easier and more effective ways to get it done that DON'T include a minefield.

Poison snakes?

[Ramius]

I'll bet it isn't as simple as we might suppose.

Pilotless aircraft mixing with ordinary civilian traffic does make for some peculiar issues and risks. In a battlefield situation... it's one thing, but mixing it up with general aviation should be done with eyes open... not in a panic.

They'll figure it out, but perhaps we should not pretend that snapping fingers will fix everything instantly.

[MikefromOhio]

LOL

ummm no

[Ramius]

What's wrong with a simple minefield??

Blown up children's body parts on CNN, for one. Do that, and kiss any dream of border security goodbye.

[antaresequity]

constant monitoring

Gee...I guess if constant monitoring is in issue with you, just about any method is out of question...be it a minefield or fence.

We sure wouldnt want to come up with a solution that requires constant monitoring...

[MikefromOhio]

They'll figure it out, but perhaps we should not pretend that snapping fingers will fix everything instantly.

Nah let's keep pretending :-)

[MikefromOhio]

ok look at it this way....you will have to constantly monitor the mines to make sure they aren't shifting and would still be effective ON TOP OF monitoring to see if you have any hits.

We sure wouldnt want to come up with a solution that requires constant monitoringWOULD ACTUALLY WORK...

There I fixed your inaccurate statement for you.

[planekT]

Not even a big secret. It's all in writing already. Amazing isn't it how CAFTA was passed on one vote.

Amazing how the LOST is still alive after being rejected years ago by Reagan. Evils never dies.

[Ramius]

Roger that. :-)

[mark502inf]

Our covert open borders Quislings love to talk about drones and sensors and other crap they can delay, underfund or hamstring

Or that sounds good, but just does not work. I've had real-life experience with UAVs and border surveillance. It was a fiasco--they just can't see that much. Even with the advances we're making with our Iraq experiences, they are really only good for surveillance of one or two POINTS, not wide areas.

A fence with human observers augmented by routine surveillance technology and some type of reaction element can shut the border down cold. I'll bet there are more survillance cameras in use in 7-11 stores throughout America right now than we'd need to work the border.

[MikefromOhio]

hehe

[MikefromOhio]

I'll bet there are more survillance cameras in use in 7-11 stores throughout America right now than we'd need to work the border.

And redlights....

UAVs are great, but to get a wide angle, they have to be pretty high up, which does kind of bring the FAA problems to light. I am sure there are commercial flight paths over sections of the borders and all that. The fact that they can't be worked around is ludicrous, but the basics make sense at a certain higher flight level....

[Travis McGee]

Which is exactly why they will NOT build a fence system: it would work.

[Travis McGee]

Powerful forces are at work.

[B4Ranch]

See http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1531592/posts?page=18#18

[B4Ranch]

$ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $