Slashdot Mirror
UK Police Plan To Use Military-Style Spy Drones
krou writes "According to documents obtained by the Guardian under the Freedom of Information Act, the UK police plan on deploying unmanned drones in the UK to 'revolutionize policing' and extend domestic 'surveillance, monitoring and evidence gathering,' which will be used in 'the routine work of the police, border authorities and other government agencies.' The documents come from the South Coast Partnership, 'a Home Office-backed project in which Kent police and others are developing a national drone plan' in conjunction with BAE Systems. The stated aim is to introduce the system in time for the 2012 Olympics. Initially, Kent police stated that the system would be used to monitor shipping lanes and illegal immigrants, but the documents reveal that this was part of a PR strategy: 'There is potential for these [maritime] uses to be projected as a "good news" story to the public rather than more "big brother."' However, the documents talk about a much wider range of usage, such as '[detecting] theft from cash machines, preventing theft of tractors and monitoring antisocial driving,' as well as 'road and railway monitoring, search and rescue, event security and covert urban surveillance.' Also, due to the expense involved, it has also been suggested that some data could be sold off to private companies, or the drones could be used for commercial purposes."
Exactly what the difference between using these UAV's and the helicopters that they have already been flying for over a decade, these helicopters have long had the ability to do infrared/night vision. So don't act shocked. Also I see a couple references to 1984 and some fear mongering about it "peering into the windows in my home"; well that is simply fear mongering and don't stress yourself out mentally over it.
These UAV's fly at a certain elevation like they do in America they have to register with their equivalent of the FCC(UK Civil Aviation Authority), so it's not like these UAV's are gonna be flying down in the streets between buildings and looking at people.
If anything I would think this would be a money saver from having to pay 2 pilots six figures and heavy maintenance with a regular helicopter.
You say the word 'UAV' and there is a knee jerk reaction around here to yell about privacy and 1984 for some reason.
Anyways here's a decent link to actually look at what the UAV might look like, although they might scale it down for police use.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BAE_HERTI
Air surveillance of criminals by fixed wing aircraft, as well as high altitude balloons and satellites has been the norm over some American cities for at least two decades. We even have robotic, miniature submarines that hunt vessels used by drug runners. What most bad guys don't know is how distant a fixed wing aircraft can be and still track a vehicle. In essence if anyone ever wanted to be a criminal the era has come and gone for them. These days they will be caught even though cops may wait years to actually make the arrests which enables them to establish career criminal status and lock these fools up for life without parole.
Upon ascertaining that the jaywalker had returned to his flat at #12, Wellington Gardens, the controller launched a Hellfire missile...
Honestly, the UK is already the most monitored country, with little real result. This won't be any more beneficial to anyone, the authorities included!