Posted 01.28.2010 at 5:47 pm
15 Comments
BAE's Herti UAV
via The Register
In a move sure to generate plenty of Orwell name-drops in the Boing Boing comments section, the British police have begun developing UAVs for the surveillance of domestic civilians. The British police hope to have a national UAV system in operation by the 2012 Olympics in London, so they can watch out for any disturbances.
Britain already has far fewer restrictions on government monitoring than the US, with much of London currently covered by CCTV cameras. However, this development would greatly expand how much of the country the police continually monitor. The program, spearheaded by the Kent Police Department, is a spin off of the South Coast Partnership, an effort to us UAVs to monitor England's southern coast.
So far, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Britain's equivalent of the FAA, has not cleared UAVs to fly in the same airspace as manned aircraft. However, the Kent police department has petitioned the CAA to expedite the licensing processes so the police operated UAVs can take to the sky by the time the Olympics starts.
In documents obtained by the British newspaper The Guardian, police officials envisioned using the drones to monitor, "...theft from cash machines, preventing theft of tractors and monitoring antisocial driving."
According the police department, video feeds from UAVs are no more invasive than the feeds from CCTV cameras, which the British government has already approved for police use.
So far, the British police have not purchased any UAVs, and the progress of the program remains a mystery.
[The Guardian, via Futurismic]
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Well, wouldn't want to disappoint Stuart fox, so: big brother is watching you.
The neo-SS. Not bad.
Do you remember those protests about the muhammed cartoons? Its probably a good idea.. at least for the Olympics. Inb4 racist/intolerant. .They have little choice and you know why. .denial is pretty lame.
Next it will be the media wanting UAVs.
I believe after the media, UAVs will be available to the public so I guess that's a good thing.
Unfortunately we do not live in a perfect world. Uav surveillance unfortunately is a necessary evil. I'm surprised they are not using satellites to spy on all of us. With criminals & terrorist. What choice are we going to have. On one side I don't like it. But I never do any wrong I don't have anything to hide. So I say lets support this for now. But I say just for now.
This is not a joke! The religion of Islam and its offspring Sharia Law are taking over modern Europe as we know it. Muslims want Islam to take over Europe and North America and force women to cover up or be punished! Please educate yourself on this dire matter
Pretty soon it will be impossible to steal anything or do anything illegal because of surveillance cameras and UAVs. Oh well!!!!
Maybe they got the idea from the TV show "24". :-)
@ezap: Who says the powers-that-be *aren't* using satellites to spy on us right now?
In all seriousness, though, I don't mind government use of CCTV cameras, drones, and other surveillance tech. While one nutjob like the San Diego man might make it through, just imagine all the others that these measures help to catch or deter.
And since I have nothing to hide from Big Brother or anyone else, I don't mind knowing that he can track my cell phone, watch me with a spy satellite, and read my e-mails. Not that I think the U.S. government would waste the manpower or resources to do so - they have better things to do, like finding terrorists and major criminals. If anything, it's reassuring for me to know that Big Brother's got my back.
Now, if they ever started putting cameras in the public restroom, *that* would be pushing it ....
So all those old "speed limits enforced by aircraft" signs will actually mean something again!
I can see a great market for roof of the car bumper stickers too keep the spooks entertained.
Remember the good ol days when UAV stood for Urban Assault Vehicle? Talk about a crime deterrent.
You're not doing anything wrong until they say you are, how much of the law do you agree with? How much of it do you know? They start by giving you a plush carpet to walk on, then if they want they can yank it from under your feet.
Google this: "tuk-stunned-driver-fined-for-blowing-his-45dbed5" About a bloke fined for blowing his nose.
In a country where this gets to court how can you not hold at least a cupful of reservations over allowing the government increasingly versatile ways to monitor your every action? I think it's a good idea for major events and large business capitals but it should be kept well away from everywhere else purely because of how petty and uptight authoritarian establishments can be.
As soon as you let anyone watch you 24/7 for your safety, you let the people who endangered that safety in the first place WIN.
What is the point in living in a 'safe' city/country/world if you can't live freely or privately.
I hope our government stops following the examples of the governments we have tried to not be like throughout history...
Left the Britts because of oppression, fought Nazi's, communism, et cetera. So why does it seem like our government is starting to emulate these places that we have for so long disliked.
Some food for thought on this question. Now that our government is starting to look and act like the other countries is it any surprise that we are having the same failures and falling on our faces. We were very productive till we started emulating all the failed business/government models of these other countries that limit the rights of their respective peoples.
Look UP HR 45 and think photo radar and Bushes illigal wire tapping while you contemplate my comment.
OK I am getting off of my soap box now.
I hope we are all ready for the permanent smile. Big daddy is truly watching over us!
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