Domestic drones are already reshaping UScrime-fighting - Reuters

Honestly, I don't mind the use of drones by law enforcement, because one way or another, the military is going to use them to do surveillance inside the country. They'll find "ways" around any laws stopping it. I think it's pretty cool that they can be used for search and rescue missions and this reconstructing crime scene stuff is pretty cool too. I hadn't thought of that. Aerial shots give a whole different point of view of every situation!
 
Is it actually possible for civil aviation authorities to police the use of drones for commercial use? Unless they go through the phone book and ring you, surely they would not even notice a small operator?
 
I think it would be pretty difficult for them to police it - but I did read a story about some real estate agents in Los Angeles that were using quadcopters to take video of their listings and they were shut down by the city. I think eventually they'll just require a permit. They probably still won't enforce it much though, unless you fly around an airport or somewhere that's protected (public building, etc.).
 
I work as a police officer in Ohio and I have been using my own personal flying models for search and rescue for several years. I don't understand why so many are getting upset over their use. I keep hearing the arguments about police using them to watch everybody, but with a 20 minute flight time, is this really what they are used for? I know I only use mine to take quick looks over fields for missing people or for someone who has bolted from us on a traffic stop.
If we have a search warrant and are getting ready to go into someones property to enforce the warrant and make an arrest it is a handy tool to get an up to date photo of the property layout. I stress this, I said when we have a search warrant.
I think that many are misunderstanding the difference between a drone and what most Law Enforcement agencies are trying to get, a Flying model. Some are misusing the term drone and it is scaring people because drones are for most part surveillance and seek and destroy devices. In order to be drone by definition the vehicle most be able to stay in the air for over an hour, weigh more than 100 pounds, and be able to be controlled via a video down-link to the pilot or computer flying.
Here is a link to a video of me explaining how mine works and what I use it for if your interested.
http://longrangerc.com/?q=node/10
 
I think the problem is the media loosely using the word "drone" to classify anything that can be flown remotely and has a camera on it. Then people consume too much news and watch too many war movies, and make broad assumptions about what might be happening domestically. The police don't have time and resources to launch a a proper drone to follow each and every person around - and if they did, who cares? Surveillance in public places is nothing new. Even if it's in your back yard... my neighbors can all see in my back yard without leaving their houses and planes fly over every 15 minutes. Police helicopters are all over the place all the time as well.

As a taxpayer, I'm very happy that police are embracing technology to be more efficient and effective - and it doesn't hurt that it must definitely make the job safer in a lot of cases where the camera on the aerial vehicle helps eliminate surprises.

Nice site! I like your setup. Is that frame custom? Do you do any FPV with goggles, or strictly with he monitor?

Long Range RC said:
I work as a police officer in Ohio and I have been using my own personal flying models for search and rescue for several years. I don't understand why so many are getting upset over their use. I keep hearing the arguments about police using them to watch everybody, but with a 20 minute flight time, is this really what they are used for? I know I only use mine to take quick looks over fields for missing people or for someone who has bolted from us on a traffic stop.
If we have a search warrant and are getting ready to go into someones property to enforce the warrant and make an arrest it is a handy tool to get an up to date photo of the property layout. I stress this, I said when we have a search warrant.
I think that many are misunderstanding the difference between a drone and what most Law Enforcement agencies are trying to get, a Flying model. Some are misusing the term drone and it is scaring people because drones are for most part surveillance and seek and destroy devices. In order to be drone by definition the vehicle most be able to stay in the air for over an hour, weigh more than 100 pounds, and be able to be controlled via a video down-link to the pilot or computer flying.
Here is a link to a video of me explaining how mine works and what I use it for if your interested.
http://longrangerc.com/?q=node/10
Click to expand...
 
I build my own sites and customers sites from www.jasgad.com but the www.longrangerc.com site is my first attempt at a drupal site. I just changed the banner pictures to my H4 Hornet photos. My policerobots.net site is one I put together a few years ago. I think the issue of us as police officers using flying models is great for finding people we normally couldn't find. I don't really have any other use for it and I am sure not going to sit near someone's house and change batteries every 20 minute's for days on end to watch them. That would be way to stressful, LOL.
 
Haha - I was talking about the H4 hornet frame you're selling. Besides the DJI Flamewheel arms, is that custom? Do you make the body portion, or is that off the shelf? I really like that design. And nice use of the DJI legs. Nice sites though too! =) The drupal site looks good. That's what I love about using open source content management systems - you can have them set up quickly and they look good right out of the box.

I think it's awesome that cops are using flying models to give them an edge, and understanding the technology - I know that they're not spying on my remotely all day. I'm sure the government is spying from satellites and full on military drones anyway, so people need to learn the difference and stop focusing on hobby-grade aircraft!
 
Oh, How Funny. My mistake on the website comment. I went to a shop in my home town and showed them what I wanted. He designed it and cut the body out with a laser cutter and then I assembled and test flew. The guy who put it in cad and for the most part put what I wanted to life, liked it so much, he built one for himself. I have completed my last modification last week so that makes 3 prototypes and 1 complete unit. I will make the bodies as I receive orders and I guess I am the only person you can get an H4 Hornet frame from because I made it. LOL

I made mine to be able to carry a thermal imager up at night because that is mostly when people tend to run on foot from us and hide in fields. Someday I hope someone will buy them but we will see.

I guess I thought you were talking about the websites because I was more shocked you liked the Hornet Frame. LOL
 
Ahh - I see. No, I like the frame a lot, especially how you repurposed flamewheel arms. I have a flamewheel knockoff frame from RC Timer and the arms are pretty rugged, but there's not much space on the body, so I had to get clever with how I placed everything for weight distribution. I'm sure you'll start getting some orders. You're in pretty much on the ground floor of the revolution. The popularity and different uses for these things is growing like crazy every day now. And since you're in the law enforcement community already, you have get to show everyone first hand how useful these tools can be.

Have you flown at night to use the thermal imager yet? Is it tough to navigate in the dark? I saw one guy who put a lightweight LED spotlight on his copter, but I think it was more for show than anything.
 
I am saving for a thermal imager at this time. For the one I want with the video out included is $1,700.00. It is the same one I use at work so I am familiar with how it works. the quad will lift it with no problem. I however have not got the nerve up yet to fly the departments equipment up into the air. The chief is ok with it but I want some more FPV flights under my belt before I do night flying with $4,500.00 in the air. I am still finding it hard to trust the NAZA to fly my quad home even though I have watched it do it. It is way different when you sending someone else's money up. LOL
 
Here is a photo of my H4 Hornet with my detachable extra camera skids and gimble. My gaui 330x if the one that is smaller.

bothquads.jpg

Here is a picture of my H4 Hornet without the detachable skids. This is how I normally fly it.

H4 Hornet.jpg
 
I love it. Is that just a servo controlling the pitch of the camera? Or is it a gimbal motor?
 
That is a servo, I didn't think of making gimbal motor mount but I can probably get it made. Might take a few weeks to design and fabricate.
 
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