This Unmaned Aerial Vehicle is at home 19,000 ft
Last April, on Examiner the story 'Predator Drones are due to fly over Detroit' ran and it generated controversy over the UAV's deployment. Since then there have been developments, that have some worried that perhaps this is turning into one envisioned by George Orwell in his famous book: 'Nineteen-Eighty-Four.'
Most of Orwell's points on the development of a police type state, thankfully has not occurred. But one aspect of his prediction has appeared closer than many of us would prefer. His tenet about an 'Invasion of personal privacy,' either directly physically or indirectly by surveillance, appears closer than some would like.
The arrival of Predator Drone technology has placed society in a conundrum; on the one hand we need to know ahead of time what the bad guys are up to, but on the other side of that, we need our freedom and space. It would be nice to have it both ways, but maintaining that may prove to be a little difficult.
April last, it was reported in an article in the Detroit Free Press by writer, Bill McGraw, that the U.S. Border Patrol was moving ahead with deployment of the Predator Drone program, presumably to catch terrorist attempting to enter the U.S. from our northern neighbor Canada. It must be said in their behalf, that our neighbors resent that accusation, and the facts appear to back them up. After that article, this reporter wrote on the subject, pointing it out that, none of the 9-11 hijackers came here from Canada or entered illegally. They came to the U.S. legally with documentation and/or student visas.
The story also quoted the Seattle Times, which reported the one suspect who did come here from Canada, and that was Ahmed Ressam. But the technology wasn't available then, and neither was it needed. Good old fashion policing instincts, worked to apprehend Ressam coming across the border in his car by an alert border guard. She noticed that he was acting strange and a follow-up search of his trumk revealed the true nature of his visit to the U.S. in 2000. He was suspected of seeking to bomb the Los Angeles International Airport, around the time of the new 'Millenium.'
The technology of war and survellaince
There have been quite a few developments on the Drone front since last year. But as yet, no new information shown to verify that the U. A. V.'s have been deployed in the Metropolitan Detroit area, which was the original focus of that article last year.
A reader, of that 2009 article commented this month, that he 'didn't feel any safer with the knowledge of the Drone deployment'. At this point, it still is unknown if in fact they have been deployed. His posting kindled further research on this subject and the following links are the result of that update.
Now our own cities are getting a closer look
The Following Links provide useful information on the deployment:
Predator Drones controlled by Private Carlyle sub-contractors used in the US
Predator Drones are due to fly over Detroit
Air Force plans for all-drone future - Danger Room - Wired.com
Daddy, why is that scary thing in the sky following us?
Predator Drone with KF wing (with video) (with plans) - RC Groups
The amazing camera looks much like an eye
What are your concerns over this deployment?
Does the millions of dollars each Drone cost concern you?
Do you worry that they can deploy within our aviation sky safely?
Are the Drones being flown with adequate backups for the console operators?
What happens when communication is lost with the console operator again?
Will the stateside deploy mean that they will only be used for their aerial photo capability?
Is the proposed Detroit deploy only due to the high concentration of our neighbors that are from the Middle East?
The Kettering Bug was an early Drone
The predecessor of the Predator Drone was built by former G.M. executive, Charles F. Kettering, but it was built to be an 'aerial torpedo'.
Although it didn't fare too well, it does give an idea how long scientist and researchers have been trying to leave the flying to the plane. Now with the advent of this 21st Century technology, it could prove to be no more challenging than a video game. But the consequence of this game are a lot more serious than any gamer ever envisioned. Maybe Orwell had it all wrong, maybe!
Comments
So is this article saying drones won't be flying over Detroit? I live in Oakland County near the airport and two of them just flew over my house.
No this was an investigation as to how and why "Drones" were being considered for deployment in the greater-Detroit area back then. Back then it was the "Free Press" article that announced the future possible deployment of the "UAV's. Back then, ostensively the aerial deploy was to catch illegal aliens attempting to enter United States. It was pointed out that none of the 9-11 hijackers entered either illegally or from our northern neighbor-Canada. So the article examined how this skyward shift in surveillance would really be used. And really who were it's targets? The fact that they have been flown over head would seem to echo the points mentioned in that article. But that announced reasons for deploy were probably not the true reason for aerial deployment in the Great Lakes region. Far as can be ascertained few illegals seek to come stateside via the northern realms. But it was never the aim or focus on whether they deploy, but why they deploy at all. On that question, take your pick as to why they were to be deployed. But it was clear back then, as it is now, that we might not feel safer with the deployment, but we probably don't have a choice in the matter in the matter either.
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