DHS built domestic surveillance tech into Predator drones

[ShyWriter]

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DHS built domestic surveillance tech into Predator drones

Homeland Security's specifications say drones must be able to detect whether a civilian is armed. Also specified: "signals interception" and "direction finding" for electronic surveillance.

by Declan McCullagh

March 2, 2013 11:30 AM PST

Homeland Security required that this Predator drone, built by General Atomics, be capable of

detecting whether a standing human at night is "armed or not."

(Credit: U.S. Department of Homeland Security)

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has customized its Predator drones, originally built for overseas military operations, to carry out at-home surveillance tasks that have civil libertarians worried: identifying civilians carrying guns and tracking their cell phones, government documents show.

The documents provide more details about the surveillance capabilities of the department's unmanned Predator B drones, which are primarily used to patrol the United States' northern and southern borders but have been pressed into service on behalf of a growing number of law enforcement agencies including the FBI, the Secret Service, the Texas Rangers, and local police.

Homeland Security's specifications for its drones, built by San Diego-based General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, say they "shall be capable of identifying a standing human being at night as likely armed or not," meaning carrying a shotgun or rifle. (More...)

More on Homeland Security's drones: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-57572207-38/dhs-built-domestic-surveillance-tech-into-predator-drones

Steve

[GT500]

I'm still thinking that the .408 CheyTac would be the best way to deal with these drones. Mostly because I don't expect .50 BMG to be able to consistently hit them at the altitude that those things fly.

[mountaintree16]

ugh

[DarkSnakeKobra]

I'm still thinking that the .408 CheyTac would be the best way to deal with these drones. Mostly because I don't expect .50 BMG to be able to consistently hit them at the altitude that those things fly.

Let me know how that works out. I'd like to do the same. I am not having that thing fly over my house...

This is the only thing I would actually approve for hacking into if they are able to bring it down...

[Firefox]

If they are able to hack it to bring it down, they are able to hack it to do other thinks with it....

[GT500]

Let me know how that works out. I'd like to do the same. I am not having that thing fly over my house...

If I ever have the money for that rifle, then I'll be sure to test it out at that range. I don't really have any airborn targets that I could test it on though (at least not with that sort of profile that fly at that altitude).

If they are able to hack it to bring it down, they are able to hack it to do other thinks with it....

And that could be even more unfortunate...