Privacy groups concerned at police drone reports Canberra Times
We can’t find out what they are proposing using but the framework for sUAS operation is well defined in Australia. There are very few sUAS being fielded by Police or Fire organisations in the UK and hardly any in the USA but they are still held up as regularly using UAS.
The gap between reality and hype generated by manufacturers is still pretty wide.
Once the UK regs came into place interest in expanding the use of sUAS seemed to drop in the UK and the COA process holds back all but the determined in the USA.
The Canberra Times reports:-
Civil liberties organisations have raised concerns over the potential introduction of unmanned police aerial drones into the ACT.
The ACT’s Chief Police Officer Roman Quaedvlieg yesterday revealed that ACT Policing was considering introducing unmanned aerial drones to support police pursuits.
Assistant Commissioner Quaedvlieg said it was ”absolutely” possible that police drones could be flying above the ACT within five years.
The move would be an Australian first, although similar technology is in use in Britain and the United States.
Assistant Commissioner Quaedvlieg raised the plans while defending ACT Policing’s pursuit policies, which have come under attack by the Greens this week. ”What we’re examining is the possibility of using unmanned aerial vehicles so we don’t have to have vehicles in behind pursuing the vehicle,” he told ABC radio.
ABC reports is thus and adds a picture of a Heron
ACT Chief Police Officer Roman Quaedvlieg says officers are exploring new technology to aid police chases.
He says they are investigating the types of unmanned aerial vehicles available, how much they would cost and whether they could be deployed in the next five to 10 years.
“What we’re examining is the possibility of using unmanned aerial vehicles so we don’t have to have vehicles in behind pursuing the vehicle,” he said.
“We’re exploring other technologies such as engine immobilisers. There’s a whole range of technologies that will complement our systems and our practices and our guidelines.”
Assistant Commissioner Quaedvlieg says the technology is already being used overseas.
“It’s a reality in policing jurisdictions overseas. We’ve spoken to those jurisdictions, they’ve used them successfully and if we can find a capability that is sustainable we believe that we can deploy unmanned aerial vehicles for police pursuits,” he said.
ACT Police Minister Simon Corbell says he supports the investigation of new technology but says police are yet to put a proposal to the Government.
“The use of unmanned aerial vehicles is only conceptual at this time and no decision has been taken about the use of such technology,” he said.
Any use of drones would need approval from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/07/21/3274304.htm?site=idx-act
