Posted on 07/08/2018 4:25:32 PM PDT by Seizethecarp
Drone technology offers the potential to change our world... But the technology also has a dark side. It can be used to spy on us, to threaten our critical infrastructure, or to attack crowds and public places.
For years, the Department of Homeland Security has worried about the dangers of unmanned aerial systems, and we have sought the legal authority to protect Americans against corrupted aerial devices. Today I have a pressing message for Congress: Time is running out.
As secretary of homeland security, I can tell you that threat is outpacing our ability to respond. Without congressional action, the U.S. government will remain unable to identify, track and mitigate weaponized or dangerous drones in our skies.
Unfortunately, the laws on the books today were not written with weaponized drones in mind. As a result, the nation’s two biggest law enforcement departments — DHS and the Justice Department — have their hands tied when it comes to protecting Americans.
While we do have certain limited capabilities for scanning the skies for rogue drones, we largely lack the updated tools and most sophisticated authorities to monitor and mitigate inbound threats.
For instance, DHS should be able to access signals being transmitted between a nefarious drone and its ground controller to accurately geolocate both quickly. This could allow authorities to take control of the device or stop its operator on the ground to prevent a potential attack.
Yet current legal constraints prohibit us from doing so and from addressing other drone-threat scenarios, such as drones configured to operate without a human operator, which will require a separate set of solutions.
Worse still, we are prevented from even testing certain drone-defense technologies where we really need them, such as in urban environments to protect large gatherings and public events.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
“Strict controls” The statists always come out of the woodwork, don’t they? So do you want to take my AR-15s too? Well, I won’t obey “strict controls” on guns, either. I’ll be keeping my drones, thank you.
Right on. The statists sure come out on threads like this, don’t they?
Shoot em
From a presentation I gave over 4 years ago”
“The drone – flies anywhere, kills anyone.
Being pilotless, it is safe for the user. But, more important, it is anonymous.
In addition, it can be miniaturised, built cheaply in a garage, and mass produced with simple tools.
In other words, it is the ideal weapon, not for governments, but for anarchists, insurgents, and revolutionaries.”
Too little, too late, Homeland Security.
As long as you feel good about yourself LOL!
It’s a timely subject.
Of course you real statists would like to have a ‘9/11’ event and step in with draconian measures. It makes you feel good AND it increases your powers.
A win- win for you!
“I wonder if drones will be banned for public recreational use in America. There is no constitutional right to own a drone.”
While they’re at it might as well have them ban knives, hatchets, machetes, and internal combustion engines.
There is no constitutional right to own those either.
There is an extensive military oriented research program related to using swarms of semi-autonomous drones in combat situations. That cat got out of the bag some time ago.
At this point we can safely assume there will be millions of them in private, public, and military use in the future. Preventing evil users from using them for nefarious purposes will require focusing on the people, the same way that preventing bad guys from using guns requires focusing on the bad guys not the guns.
Trying to ban drones will only mean people in the USA will fall behind in knowing how to make and use drones. We need to lead that effort, not end up huddled in our basements trying to figure out what to do about the foreign made drones that are attacking us.
Think about that -- people in Pakistan cower in their houses as drone fired missiles land in their midst. They don't have the ability to do anything about it. Let's not end up like they are.
We need to encourage research, education, making, selling, flying, and everything else related to drones. So we lead the world in knowing how to use them for good -- and if necessary to defend ourselves and our freedom.
And we always need to deter, disrupt, arrest, and prosecute people that are planning or conducting attacks on the rest of us - regardless of what they are using to do evil.
Take a gander at some suicide car or truck bomb videos out of Syria and Iraq. That is a very real threat.
Take a gander at some videos of terrorists driving cars or trucks into crowds. That is a very real threat.
Take a gander at the images of airplanes hitting New York. That is a very real threat.
The problem isn't the machines. It is the people who decide to take a very useful machine and apply it to fulfill their evil intentions.
Thanks for re-posting the link to this excellent article that you put up on FR! One of the best that I have seen, that I missed due to recent family circumstances not allowing me to keep up!
Often useful to look at a question without “terrorism!”.
A drone flown over one’s own property could be ‘regulated’ like a dog: an id number and owner on record. Maybe you’’d put up “beware of drone” signs. The idea is just for normal insurance purposes. In a rural area like mine anyone would know whose drone it is, but in semi-rural areas a drone could cause damage and the owner may not be identifiable.
A drone used in other’s airspace though would have to be treated like a plane. Transponder, license, insurance, pilot’s license... could skip the physical at least.
These measures also address “terrorism!” requirements to a significant degree.
She mentions tracking the control source. Seems a reasonable request off hand.
Glad you appreciate it! It’s quite an article IMO.
Hope to fill that thread up with militarized drones and counter-measures info. Going slow though.
Larger drones require extensive FAA permission to operate, including in most cases an individual authorization to fly in a limited area.
The idea that the government can't track a radio source in a law enforcement or counter terrorism situation is a ridiculous assertion. They can do just that, and often do. Why do you think there is an industry that makes fake cell phone transmitters that nearby cell phones connect with instead of the actual cell phone towers? Those devices are only sold to government agencies.
Read about the Harris Stingray as one example. Also, the FCC regularly locates radio emitters operating outside of its regulations.
I suspect we are seeing the usual Beltway "concern" about something that some bureaucrat and his federal contractor buddies want to get paid a lot of money to "study".
I’m quite sure the government will, in it’s infinite wisdom, decide that in order to own a drone, you’ll have to be licensed and otherwise controlled.
Honestly, I think that is an astounding comment. Where in the Constitution is the government given the power to declare drones verboten?
FAA is going to require ID + location transmitters on them. See link.
https://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=24534
Thanks so much for sending this post to me and remembering that this is a favorite topic of mine!
Just pass a law requiring every gun owner in the US to fire his/her weapon into the air 5 times a day at random times.
That’ll keep the drone herd well and truly culled.
Write it up as a tax. SCOTUS has already said that congress can pass anything, no matter how stupid or destructive, as long as it’s called a tax, right Mr. Roberts?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.