Drones in New York...and we're not talking about HIZORORDAMAER

Interesting look at NYPD's use of drones in intelligence. Now I personally have no major issues with it. The usual suspects, e.g. ACLU (see below) are screeching but that is to be expected. Then again as someone said years ago "It's the 21st Century, there is no privacy, get over it!"

Is The NYPD Experimenting With Drones Over The City? Evidence Points To Yes « CBS New York

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — They’re used in war zones for surveillance and military strikes. But are there plans to deploy drones in the Big Apple to keep an eye on New Yorkers?

Surveillance cameras already dot the city’s streets, but is the NYPD exploring the use of even more eyes in the skies, in the form of drones? Some evidence points to yes.

A website named Gay City News posted an e-mail it says it acquired through the Freedom of Information Act. It’s purportedly from a detective in the NYPD counterterrorism division, asking the Federal Aviation Administration about the use of unmanned aerial vehicles as a law enforcement tool...

...Drones are already being used by law enforcement in other cities. CBS 2 has obtained footage of a huge protest in Poland a few months ago, shot by a small drone that could fly a few dozen feet right over the heads of the crowd and the police. High-resolution cameras can capture every detail, including faces and license plate numbers. In this country, Miami and several cities in Texas are experimenting with such aircraft.

“We’re always looking at technology,” said NYPD Spokesman Paul Browne. “Drones aren’t that exotic anymore. Brookstone sells them. We’ve looked at them but haven’t tested or deployed any.”...

...But some are concerned about the invasion of privacy. Last month, the American Civil Liberties Union issued a 16-page report citing the growth of the use of drones and the lack of laws protecting citizens from airborne intrusions.

Just the mere possibility that the city could be looking into the use of drone surveillance aircraft prompted one anonymous New Yorker to post official looking NYPD warning signs all over the city.

Some say: “Attention, authorized drone strike zone.”

One Dahler found on Mercer Street said: “Local statutes enforced by drone.”...

Now I checked out the ACLU initial report on its website and the actual PDF. Most of it's boring history of drones, methods of surveillance, etc but they raise their issues towards the end. Now they put out a statement from an officer of the Aircraft Owners and Pilot's Association (AOPA) from 20006 on lack of guidance from the FAA on UAV use in civilian air space. Sorry, six years is a bit old for a current issue. They also claim that a couple making love (for those of you from Chalmette that means doing the nasty) on top of a high rise apartment have a reasonable expectation of privacy. Sorry guys, get a room. Kinda like the young ladies who flash themselves on Bourbon Street for beads and then sue Girls Gone Wild Mardi Gras for showing it. Sorry, you've shown modesty is not an issue for you so spare us your pretensions of being shy.

I do agree with them there needs to be guidance from the FAA and the Congress on how to use these in airspace. Now that may be an issue for a Congress that can't pass a budget in almost three years and is conceded with major issues like steroid use in baseball.

New York, please keep this up. Now on this salt enforcement crap you got going....