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UAVs Will Study Californian Smog
Roland Piquepaille writes "The California Energy Commission is funding a research effort named CAPPS, short for California AUAV Air Pollution Profiling Study. CAPPS will use autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles (AUAVs) to gather meteorological data as the aircraft fly through clouds over Southern California. The goal is to study smog and its consequences as well as better understand the sources of air pollution. The first flights started in April 2008 and data collection will continue until January 2009. But read more for additional references and photos of these autonomous unmanned aircraft."
The goal is to study smog and its consequences as well as better understand the sources of air pollution.
Airplanes?
"The goal is to study smog and its consequences as well as better understand the sources of air pollution"
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Oh, that's what they say... But let's just see if they don't get used for citizen surveillance as well... If they're already flying there, you know someone in power will ask for it.
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more crazies seeing UFOs
You must be GNU here.
No folly is more costly than the folly of intolerant idealism. - Winston Churchill
They could be run 'round the clock, and if they can hold a charge (or they put solar panels on 'em) they could stay up for 12+ hours at a time.
I'm not so sure Solar panels would work well in this scheme. Especially since the AUAVs will be flying through the Smog.After 5 years, and $10 million dollars invested on advanced UAV research, it has been proven beyond the shadow of a doubt that the smog levels in LA are.... Really Bad.
Eschew Obfuscation
Will they be packing Hellfire missiles to deal with "gross polluters"?