United States News
See other United States News Articles
Title: Americans oppose using drones to catch speeders, poll finds
Source:
USA Today
URL Source: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation ... -drone-use-speeders/55554424/1
Published: Jun 12, 2012
Author: By Bart Jansen
Post Date: 2012-06-12 18:26:32 by We The People
Keywords: None
Views: 83
Comments: 4
Americans support using unmanned aircraft for patrolling borders and tracking down criminals, but not handing out speeding tickets, a new poll out Tuesday finds. The poll by Monmouth University Polling Institute comes in anticipation of drones becoming much more prolific in the skies. Congress ordered the Federal Aviation Administration to create a plan for drones to fly in general airspace by September 2015, and states are competing to become one of six locations to help develop that plan. The poll also arrives as the public becomes more aware of privacy concerns and dangers of drones. A Navy drone crashed Monday in Maryland during a test flight, although the poll was conducted before the crash and didn't ask about safety concerns. The poll of 1,708 people from June 4-6, which has a margin of error of 2.4 percentage points, found: •Four out of five respondents supported using drones for search-and-rescue missions. •About two-thirds supported using drones to track down criminals and patrol the border for illegal immigration . But fewer than one in four supported using drones to issue speeding tickets. And four out of five voiced at least some concerns about their privacy if law enforcement officers used drones with high-tech cameras. "Americans clearly support using drone technology in special circumstances, but they are a bit leery of more routine use by local law enforcement agencies," poll director Patrick Murray said. Ben Gielow, general counsel of the industry group Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, said the poll demonstrates that people understand the benefits of using the aircraft in dangerous situations such as searches, fires and disasters. "Unmanned aircraft help save time, save money and, most importantly, save lives," Gielow said. Drones come in a variety of sizes, weighing a few ounces to thousands of pounds. Military versions — the Global Hawk for surveillance and the Predator with weapons — fly routinely in Afghanistan and elsewhere overseas. Local police and firefighters are eager to use small drones to scout a fire, survey an accident scene or track down missing persons at a fraction of the cost of a manned helicopter. The Department of Homeland Security has a few drones to patrol the borders. In legislation signed into law in February, Congress set up a series of deadlines for drones to increasingly share the airspace with passenger planes. But the issues are complex, including how to ensure the aircraft are safe and how to prevent them from colliding with passenger aircraft. The Navy is investigating what caused the crash of a version of a Global Hawk, called a Broad Area Maritime Surveillance Demonstrator, in a swampy area of eastern Maryland. The Navy has flown drones more than 5,500 hours for combat surveillance since 2008. But the Air Force is edging away from the Global Hawk, to rely more on U-2 manned spy planes.
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#1. To: We The People (#0)
Because we all go at least 5mph over the speed limit and don't want to pay tickets or higher insurance rates.
Believe it or not, I set the cruise at the speed limit. I refuse to be in a hurry.
"If men through fear, fraud or mistake, should in terms renounce and give up any essential natural right, the eternal law of reason and the great end of society, would absolutely vacate such renunciation; the right to freedom being the gift of God Almighty, it is not in the power of Man to alienate this gift, and voluntarily become a slave." Samuel Adams, Rights of the Colonists, 1772
I think the terrorists are starting to use drones too. If I see one I will shoot it down and immediately report it to the police. It might be Alterrorists trying to infiltrate us. I just want to do my part in the fight against terrorists.
fwiw my dept has no plans i'm aware of to use drones. might well have to do with the fact the dimtard pols that run this los angeles county/city area just plain have no dinero to afford such a scheme. given the chance i'd fantasize about blasting one out of the sky too i know....but the harsh reality is no sane person would really do this as the thing would end up likely killing someone on the ground.
always bet on black
Americans support using unmanned aircraft for patrolling borders and tracking down criminals, but not handing out speeding tickets, a new poll out Tuesday finds.
#2. To: TooConservative (#1)
#3. To: We The People (#0)
#4. To: A K A Stone (#3)
If I see one I will shoot it down and immediately report it to the police.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Mail] [Sign-in] [Setup] [Help] [Register]