Is there a drone in your neighbourhood?

The Daily Mail Online ^ | 05:15 EST, 24 April 2012 | Julian Gavaghan

[Mad Dawgg]

Is there a drone in your neighbourhood? Rise of spy planes exposed after FAA is forced to reveal 63 launch sites across U.S.

Unmanned spy planes are being launched from locations in 20 states and owners include the military and universities.

There are at least 63 active drone sites around the U.S, federal authorities have been forced to reveal following a landmark Freedom of Information lawsuit.

The unmanned planes – some of which may have been designed to kill terror suspects – are being launched from locations in 20 states.

Most of the active drones are deployed from military installations, enforcement agencies and border patrol teams, according to the Federal Aviation Authority.

[Mad Dawgg]

Big Brother is circling above us. Look up and give 'em a one finger salute I say!

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The unmanned planes – some of which may have been designed to kill terror suspects – are being launched from locations in 20 states.

A clear violation of Posse Comitatus.

[Mad Dawgg]

"A clear violation of Posse Comitatus."

We don't need no Stinking Posse Comitatus...

[sten]

time to do a little skeet shootin’

[Mad Dawgg]

"time to do a little skeet shootin’"

I got a launch site about 30 miles away in Athens Ohio. Soon as I showed it to my wife she said they was gonna be hoverig over Meigs county Ohio when its get to be harvest time!

[muir_redwoods]

The only one in New England appears to be just over my home in CT. Is there a link for the actual locations and who’s running the launch sites?

[Mad Dawgg]

Go to the article and click the map it is interactive. May have some more info.

[Lazamataz]

Note that this information comes to us via the UK press.

It is officially time to evacuate the United States of America. I am doing all I can to get out, now.

[Mad Dawgg]

Try this link: Interactive Google Map

[jboot]

Nothing your father's light sabre can't handle.

Add a pressure switch, stock and scope and you've got fun, fun, fun. More range than a 12-guage, too.

[CodeToad]

“Federal Aviation Authority”

Any article that doesn’t get that simple name right is suspect as being from kooks.

[Mad Dawgg]

Check out map link in post 9. INCONCIEVABLE ONLY 3 SITES ON THE SOUTHERN BORDER!

[Le Chien Rouge]

The map shows 2 over Austin and 1 over San Marcos.

Someone is really curious about the happenings in Central Texas.

[mollynme]

You have to find the link right below the list of sites to get to the interactive map.

[Mad Dawgg]

Any article that doesn’t get that simple name right is suspect as being from kooks.

British Newspaper so I'll give 'em some slack. I mean they added a U to Neighborhood for God's sake AND they drive on the wrong side of the road,

[Mad Dawgg]

"You have to find the link right below the list of sites to get to the interactive map."

Check out link in post 9 as well!

[muir_redwoods]

Thanks. The article actually highlights the only site in New England as belonging to the University of Connecticut which is about 20 miles from where I live. The Daily Mail asks the same question I ask; why would UCONN need a drone site? The CONNARNG is somewhat nearby at Bradley Airport. That seems a more logical site for defense purposes.

Imagine my surprise that there is no domestic coverage of this story. The Daily Mail comes through again.

[CodeToad]

Yeah, that’s true, they do spell funny.

[Mad Dawgg]

"Imagine my surprise that there is no domestic coverage of this story. The Daily Mail comes through again."

Yeah I've started checking them daily because it seems they are breaking stories American News Outlets ignore.

Can you imagine MSNBC if this happened during Bush's Administration?

24/7 and they would bring back Keith Olbermann for a Special In Depth Show that aired every hour!

[Grumpybutt]

Note to self: No more midnight skinny dipping this summer.

[concerned about politics]

The unmanned planes – some of which may have been designed to kill terror suspects – are being launched from locations in 20 states

Obama Admin: The War On Terror Is 'Over'

There's no need for these things. There are no terrorists.

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

Is there a drone in your neighbourhood?

Yeah--my brother-in-law.

[bamahead]

The unmanned planes – some of which may have been designed to kill terror suspects – are being launched from locations in 20 states.



Libertarian ping! Click here to get added or here to be removed or post a message here!

[Labyrinthos]

Just curious, but what qualifies this as breaking news?

[Strategerist]

Imagine my surprise that there is no domestic coverage of this story. The Daily Mail comes through again

With a completely idiotic article. And it's embarassing that FReepers have completely bought it.

If you want the US military to have effective UAVs, guess what? Contractors need to test them, and college students need experience building and operating them; preferably without everyone needing to travel to Area 51.

The idea that all of these "launch sites" are for domestic surveillance by Predators or something is imbecilic.

I've worked for a small UAV company on the Eastern Shore of Maryland; we'd test the UAVs flying them on the large property of our company owner. Many University engineering programs have students building UAVs as an educational project.

[The Great RJ]

Orwell's 1984 is here with sinister black helicopters perhaps soon with a Thought Police monitoring our very thoughts for any dissent.

[Strategerist]

And that’s not even considering that, shockingly, US military units might want to launch UAVs from their own bases to PRACTICE with before deploying overseas.

I cannot fathom the idiocy of this expose - heck, the Daily Mail implies that the University of Alaska’s UAVs are intended to spy on Russia. What nonsense.

[Strategerist]

Just curious, but what qualifies this as breaking news?

Stupidity, I guess.

[Mad Dawgg]

The idea that all of these "launch sites" are for domestic surveillance by Predators or something is imbecilic.

I see, maybe you wish to tell your story to Rodney Brossart:

LAKOTA, N.D., April 10 (UPI) -- A North Dakota man, the first U.S. citizen arrested with the help of an unmanned Predator surveillance drone, says he's challenging the legality of the arrest.

story here: U.S. man 1st arrested with help of drone

Any questions?

[Strategerist]

Yes, my question is why you didn’t understand my post?

[Mad Dawgg]

"Yes, my question is why you didn’t understand my post?"

You just stated this is nothing but college kids testing stuff. Tell me do you think Mr. Brossart thinks its just college kids testing stuff?

[soycd]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SNPJMk2fgJU

I think we all could use some of these active drones for perimeter defense and to dispatch rioters and looters.

[Drill Thrawl]

Yeah, that’s true, they do spell funny.

And talk funny. A few years ago on business in London one of the local employees asked me if I wanted to "Step outside and blow a fag?" I knew the slang so the shock value was lost but it was sill good for a laugh.

[Mad Dawgg]

OK I want four of those!

[Vaquero]

there is no ‘U’ in my neigborhood

[CSM]

“Note to self: No more midnight skinny dipping this summer.”

You can not make such a claim without pictorial proof!

[Eleutheria5]

If you have a demonstration and get out of line, the drone will come down and rifle butt you in the face. Either the chief of staff or the chief of police or their aunt Fanny will then suspend the drone from active command for two years, and people all over the world will be expressing either outrage or support for the drone.

[thouworm]

Drudge picked up the article with this feature headline:

EYE IN THE SKY

63 SPY-PLANE LAUNCH SITES IN 20 STATES...

[Mad Dawgg]

"there is no ‘U’ in my neigborhood"

Nor is there one in color. Unless of course you are a British Newspaper. (And its their headline and Spelling Not Mine)

[HiJinx]

Interesting - I have at least a Battalion’s worth of active UAVs operating right here, as well as at least a half dozen UAVs sitting in the museum.

A major UAV manufacturer has facilities right up the road from my office.

And the line about ‘some of which have been designed to kill terrorists’ refers to the fact that Predators carry Hellfires. Doesn’t mean that they do, in the U.S., just that they can.

Time for tin-foil hats, folks?

[zeugma]

Big Brother is circling above us. Look up and give 'em a one finger salute I say!

People have no idea how how closely our government monitors us. Mainly because they just don't want to know. They'd rather stick their heads in the sand and pull it out when they want to watch TV so it can numb their mind for them.

[Mad Dawgg]

"And the line about ‘some of which have been designed to kill terrorists’ refers to the fact that Predators carry Hellfires."

That doesn't bother me as much. I figure the real threat is surveillance.

I've seen demos of units smaller than a laptop that can shoot HD quality footage from two different cameras and can fly in and out of an ordinary window.

And that is available to you and me for just a couple large all legal like.

If you and I can lay our hands on such what the hell is the authorities using? How small are they can they overfly your property or even fly into your buildings and such?

You can call me a tinfoilhatter but it don't take much imagination to see how such technology could be abused in a hurry!

[Mad Dawgg]

"People have no idea how how closely our government monitors us."

This people does. Google CALEA act.

[ichabod1]

On a tour I was on, our guide, great guy, former MI-5, announced to our part of the bus that we were going to stop to potty, only because he was a brit, it came out more like “paw-teh.” Me and a couple I was visiting with were like, excuse me? “Paw-teh”, Again? Then, exasperated, he goes “Ew, for the love of God, it’s YOUR WORD!” Then we all cracked up.

[TurboZamboni]

University of North Dakota advertises a degree in building/designing UAVs.

[Grumpybutt]

Here is a likeness... LOL

http://www.sonic.net/~zignz/images/bigmoonlightbreech.jpg

[cornelis]

The idea that all of these "launch sites" are for domestic surveillance by Predators or something is imbecilic. The FAA is right now working to relax the fly rules for private use of drones.

[TurboZamboni]

not to worry. they’re all tracking George Zimmerman.

[Vaquero]

Nor is there one in color. Unless of course you are a British Newspaper. (And its their headline and Spelling Not Mine)

I figured that out at the onset. no reflection on you.

though it was a humorous response to the title...

[Hot Tabasco]

Most of the active drones are deployed from military installations, enforcement agencies and border patrol teams, according to the Federal Aviation Authority.

That would certainly make sense since WalMart parking lots are usually filled........

It should also be noted that all the blue pegs are sites where licenses to fly have expired.......

Just to be safe tho, I have my tinfoil hat on...LOL!