Armed Robot Drones To Join UK Police Force

Lanxon writes "British criminals should soon prepare to be shot at from unmanned airborne police robots. Last month it was revealed that modified military aircraft drones will carry out surveillance on everyone from British protesters and antisocial motorists to fly-tippers. But these drones could be armed with tasers, non-lethal projectiles and ultra-powerful disorienting strobe lighting apparatus, reports Wired. The flying robot fleet will range from miniature tactical craft such as the miniature AirRobot being tested by one police force, to BAE System's new 12m-wide armed HERTI drone as flown in Afghanistan."

Comments

Re:Obligatory 1984 Reference

[Anonymous Coward]

Some of you may be prejudiced against blacks, but we need their ability to start riots to prevent police-state encroachment. Their testiculat fortitude will inspire generations to come. Do you think anybody would fly drones over South Central Los Angeles? Hell no, because the negroes would grab their AK's and pick those things out of the sky like fat geese.

Alternately, we have proud militias who aren't part of the corporate American subversion complex( aka "private security") who are armed to the teeth. Expect these groups to grow exponentially as more and more proud but disgruntled American soldiers leave the service. The DHS is publicly shitting their pants over this.

Send a fucking drone over my house, motherfuckers. I have a remote-control airplane with explosive strapped to it. I'll fly it right into your bird's screw and we'll have ourselves a rootin' tootin' turkey roast.

Re:Not impossible, but very unlikely

[couchslug]

There is almost no violent crime in the UK by US standards (suggesting the surveillance state pays off), and a couple of dead guys at the hands of police is a trifle for a country that size. Let's not get emotional over tiny numbers. Further, if the public objected to a surveillance state they'd be politically active against it.