US Department of Homeland Security Looking For a Few Good Drones

coondoggie writes "The U.S. Department of Homeland Security this week issued a call for unmanned systems makers to participate in a program that will ultimately determine their safety and performance for use in first responder, law enforcement and border security situations. In a twist that will certainly raise some eyebrows, the results of the program — called the Robotic Aircraft for Public Safety (RAPS) — will remain unavailable to the public, which, considering how involved the actual public may be with these drones is unfortunate."

Comments

RoboCop?

[jenningsthecat]

Can't be much more than a decade away, at this rate...

The Right to Keep and Bear Arms

[TigerPlish]

Stinger.

For when ye granpappy's olde side-by-side 12-gauge isn't enough.

Re:The Right to Keep and Bear Arms

[zill]

Unit cost: $38,000

A little too rich for my blood. Someone come up with a DIY version and put it on kickstarter. As long as you have put an Arduino in there it'll sell like hotcakes.

RAPS- comforting name

[swell]

"Robotic Aircraft for Public Safety (RAPS)"

Ah, "Public Safety"! Can't you just see it now? Robot helicopters intelligently lifting flood victims from rooftops, rescuing kittens from treetops, spraying killer bee swarms with sleep inducing chemicals. They'll come to the aid of lost hikers, climbers and avalanche victims. They will patrol for lost boaters and surveil and protect tagged endangered species from predators- human or other. Their eye in the sky will alert emergency services of serious auto accidents, fires, or weather conditions. They will survey bridge structures and other critical infrastructure for damage, weakness and risk of failure. Their sensors will give us early warning of radiation leaks, chemical spills, dangerous pollutants, and excess allergens.

They will be our Public Safety angel!
I'm sure this is what our beneficent government has in mind, right?

Re:A better acronym

[Penurious Penguin]

Remotely Assisted Police State