February this year saw Congress pass the FAA Reauthorization Act, with its provision to deploy fleets of drones domestically. Jennifer Lynch, an attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, notes that this followed a major lobbying effort, "a huge push by […] the defense sector" to promote the use of drones in American skies: 30,000 of them are expected to be in use by 2020

They are currently being used on the Mexican border:- http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jJbIUy3nCpbdDsGgBgjZ1NQ8U_HQ

As if times weren't hard enough for OC the whirr of drones hovering overhead at every minute of the night and day is sure to put a crimp in any wiseguy's schedule.

The future's here and looks like now we can finally sleep safe at night. A wonderful world of security with an army of flying ED 209's hovering over us.

What could possibly go worgn....?

They are currently being used on the Mexican border:

WELL START ARMING THEM WITH MISSILES ...AND USE THEM !!!

You think armed drones are capable of winning the war on drugs? Or stemming the flow of migration from Mexico?

It's not being lost because there's not enough people dying the way I see it. 70,000 dead and over 20,000 missing and unaccounted for are rough estimates of the death toll.

So you have a vicious war for control of the lucrative drug trade, Mexican Government riddled with corruption and the people that are terrified.

And you think the sound of metallic drones is gonna make the Mexican people look up to the skies, thank their lucky stars, clap their hands with joy and sing a chorus of "muy bueno" and just kick back and enjoy the action as if it's that special time of year again and Emilio's about to do his party trick at the weeklong fiesta of San Juan de Dios the one where he dances around popping firecrackers like speedy gonzales on a feedbag of meth as he swallows a giant chilli laced with gunpowder in order to blow the fuse for the ten foot sledgehammer rocket he's about to launch from the crack of his butthole?

That's entertainment huh? Well drones ain't entertaining. When they hit the people run and if they are used in Mexico then the US Government will feel they can target them on any crooks. You want more Mexicans to flee the border sending armed drones into Mexico would be a good way to go about it.

Mexican fireworks may kill cos they pack some pow but they choose to do crazy shit with fireworks, that's freedom. But no-one's voting for flying Ed 209's.

These things packing serious firepower are what's gonna make the Mexicans run for the border. Yeah the cartels will take a hit but it aint exactly the life of riley right now and if 90,000 people dying hasn't put them off neither will the drones.

And they will be increasingly deployed inland too. Nothing to hide? Well maybe you won't mind a drone attached to your ass 24/7 neither then.

wow good article and from two years ago..I like hearing thier are four drones patrolling our skies over mexico..They goot some serious issuies in mexico thats creepin over into here..I think its time to totally forget Iraq..Which we should of did 6 years ago..Or like 3 months after hangin SadamHussien..and use troops for training..Train some "snipers" all along the mexican border..just hope they do put a few more drones in the air down there..

But what protections do US Citizens have from Drone video, audio and from armed intervention activities?

They can already GPS you wherever you are through your Android, IPod or old time cell phone.

What we already know is that Iran have already worked out how to take one down, that they can be hacked into and neutralized.

Also no-one's really thinking this through, just the $11bn plus projected to be coming through that will be rolling in once this drone thing gets proper lift off.

The market will be unregulated from 2015 and this will open up all kinds of opportunities cos private companies will be flying these flying droids too.

The drones used all the southern border with Mexico are not armed and are used for surveillance purposes. They are one of the most cost effective means of tracking illegal border crossings - drug related and otherwise.

I have no problem with them being used in other places to monitor illegal activities. I am not sure why anyone would have an issue with using them for that purpose, except the criminals.

LOL - drones are usually not heard by people on the ground. They fly at ~10,000 feet and very quiet. I dont think there is any chance they will be armed and deployed along the border, or inside the US, in a manner like they are in Afganistan or a war zone. Please, be serious.

Lastly, the Patriot Act is the law that outlines the government's access to information from emails, phone calls, Drone video and audio etc. There are plenty who wish to debate the merits of the Patriot Act versus Civil Liberties / Protection of Personal Info, etc. I am fine with my personal info being potentially viewed than have another 9/11 or worse. Just my 2 cents.

From what I've been told/ read he drones can be used for physical surveillance only, they are not allowed to obtain recordings of targets not listed on the warrant/ indictment depending on how you look at it. "Roving" physical surveillance is what I think the verbiage was. However the audio becomes a no go once unintended parties become recorded. Not sure if this was prior to Patriot Act or not. I do know if they do have your cell phone information they can use that to record conversations whether the phone is turned on or not. I.E. conversations whether they take place over a phone line or in person!
As far as arming the drones, I doubt arming them in the States would happen. However say a situation arrives where they have obtained a conversation of two goons going to take someone out or a family for that matter what's to say that threat can't or shouldn't be stopped? When I say information I meant having a conversation picked up en route to their intended targets! We do it overseas to save lives why not here? This comment will probably go over like a fart in church, however it's tabled for discussion!

My take on this is where does this end? I mean crime is very low in China and you're pretty safe on the streets or whatever they call it is Chinese people live most no doubt way out in farmer country in the back of beyond or whatever. Thing is they are safe but nobody says "oh lets be more Chinese cos I want a piece of what they got going on. take me to China." never heard of it. You just don't hear it do you?

Why would you? Up in them there mountains without a pot to piss in all year with a lousy job in a lousy sweatshop sewing boxers for fatsos around the globe that your whole family could fit into as could your cooking pot where you gotta stir the damn rice all day. I mean every day is just gravy right?

Then the military fly kick your door in (if you even got one), ram your wife's head on the table, cart your whole family off to the slammer and "oh it's still good cos crime is low and I got nothin to hide". yesh yeah that's what they all say til it happens to them etc...

Now some drones are big as passenger liners and some as small as hummingbirds so it ain't exactly true to say you won't ever hear them. In quieter areas the sound will be unmistakable but obviously you wouldn't notice it so much in a major city like NYC.

Police in Seattle http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2018090173_drones28m.htmare already using these things now no-one's saying that drones are armed and nobody's pretending they gonna be anytime soon. That was just theoretical bullshit I was responding to the question about whether we should send armed drone sinto Mexico.

All I wanted to explore was the question of how damaging this will be to drug cartels and also how big a sacrifice on our liberties are we willing to make. I mean I like chicken chow mein as much as the next guy but there's a limit you know.

And with all these corporations having their own fleets of flying drones who knows where it'll end. And the fact that most of the time you won't even see them or hear them only makes it even worse. Are they listening in, are they not who even knows anymore? I mean wax on, wax off who cares right? Well when I'm getting a wax I wanna be the only one whose getting switched on you feel me?

Who knows what these wackos will be homing in on. Nobody's checking up on em and nobody cares.You see it may track you and your friends and pick up audio of your conversations, on your way, say, protest or vote or talk to your rep, if you are not "specifically identified", a stipulation that is could be used to mean anything.

I'm not on board but you no what I think I'm in the minority here. I think you're all a bunch of hard ons for turning us into the police states:(

Believe me im not advocating it at all! Big brother is already big enough

EastHarlem you make some pretty good points and I hear them but my point to those who are cool with the prospect of the big brother is well think this through and think what freedoms you are giving away.

I know everyone has their own political angle on this and I respect it but thats mine. Theres a limit you know.

To be candid I have zero political angle here! I'm not a fan of big brother in the least. However I've got children and after that sick maniac shooter in Colorado at the Dark Knight and this Conn school shooting all I am saying is if freaks like that are picked up by a drone and taken out I am all for it! I know it's a double edge sword, I'm giving up a lot for the remote possibility of them stopping something. However if it keeps my kids safe I think I would consider it! Consider being the key phrase. I know the chances of them getting a drop on one of those maniacs may be slim, but if it does divert a disaster on the innocent then go for it!

Sean,

We do not live in a police state, and it is not going to happen. I have been to China several times. That is a police state and they execute criminals without the judicial due processes that we have.

Where are you coming from with "corporations having their fleets of flying drones" and "are they listening in or not" and "where will it end"?

There are fairly strict laws on what can and cannot be done. Why the worries?

The act itself is vague and non-specified targets fall through a loophole in this law which means anyone can possibly be described as 'non-specific' for purposes of surveillance.

It's open to abuse is all I'm saying and there's being aware of security and there's losing your freedom in order to have the big brother security.

I was more interested in how these things operate and how much impact they is having on the border with the cartels but since
I laid em down anyhow and there's no way of speaking on this issue without sounding like some nutbag eco-warrior with an axe to grind about Washington or the billionaire fat cats on Park Avenue I'll be clear on one thing. That ain't where I'm coming from.

It ain't keeping me up on nights and I ain't worried but I like my freedom more than I like these bugs collecting info on me without my permission. That's that. I've said my piece.

As for Mexico personally I think the only way they'll keep the Mexican cartels out is if they build another great wall of across the Mexican border and re-enforce that wall with an electric fence a mile high.

That might just work but that ain't really possible so the problem is here to stay for the foreseeable future whether we have drones flying the border or not. As for the drones themselves nah they ain't gonna do much to stop the flow of drugs across the border my personal point of view. I think they'll hurt em, they'll hurt em bad but I don't think anything will hurt it bad enough until we see unprecedented economic growth in the Mexico of a kind I don't think even America will ever truly see again.

I would like to get some kind of picture on just how damaging these things could potentially be for OC on the border.

Or, the US could legalize "illegal drugs", and tax / control the supply in a similar manner as prescription meds. But that is a topic for a different thread.

How would the Mexican Cops and Polititians make a living if that happened?

Big Pharma Old Money Ain't going nowhere ...