Military-grade drone will fly over San Diego next year

[Elderberry]

American Military News by Katy Stegall 12/29/2019

The skies are clear for a local defense contractor planning to test fly large military drones over San Diego next year.

Poway-based defense contractor General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., in partnership with NASA, developed SkyGuardian drones, which it says are improved versions of the Predator, its military drones associated with the War on Terror.

General Atomics’ goal is to integrate SkyGuardian drones into American skies in a variety of ways in coming years. A test flight in San Diego will figure prominently in demonstrating the drones’ civilian capabilities, the company said.

Barry Summers, a North Carolina-based researcher who studies the trend of military-grade drones being introduced into American airspace, agreed.

He said in an interview that military-grade drones were made for surveillance in warfare but are being used to violate Americans’ rights.

“Allowing this powerful surveillance technology to be turned inward on American citizens isn’t something that should happen without a robust public debate,” Summers said. “The implications for civil liberties are too profound. We live in an age where every capability to spy on innocent Americans that can be abused, has been abused.”

More: https://americanmilitarynews.com/2019/12/military-grade-drone-will-fly-over-san-diego-next-year/

[EdinVA]

... robust public debate...

No debate required... it is illegal.  end of debate.

[Elderberry]

U.S. Department of Defense

https://dod.defense.gov/UAS/

UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS (UAS)

DoD Purpose and Operational Use

The primary purpose of the Department of Defense (DoD) domestic aviation operations are to support Homeland Defense (HD) and Defense Support of Civilian Authorities (DSCA) operations, and military training and exercises. While manned aircraft primarily support these missions, the operational use of DoD unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), in lieu of manned aircraft may be appropriate for some domestic mission sets, when sustained endurance efforts are required; unmanned aircraft provide superior capabilities; or physical infrastructure limitations prohibit the use of manned rotary or fixed-winged aircraft.

Since 2006, DoD has had very specific and stringent guidance on the domestic use of DoD UAS. On occasion, DoD operates UAS domestically in support of a request from Federal or State civilian authorities. DoD only conducts these operations with the approval of the Secretary of Defense, who in 2018, delegated the approval of the use of smaller UAS to the Secretaries of the Military Departments, or the Geographic Combatant Commander where smaller UAS use supports Force Protection and Defense Support of Civil Authorities. This policy direction is set out in the Secretary of Defense Policy Memorandum titled Guidance for the Domestic Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems in U.S. National Airspace. This guidance also states that armed DOD UAS may not be used in the United States except for training, exercises, and testing purposes. Additionally, in recognition of the potential value of UAS, the Secretary of Defense has authorized State Governors to use smaller UAS by State National Guard units conducting Search and Rescue, and Incident and Awareness and Assessment missions, while in a State Active Duty status.

The primary purpose, and large majority, of DoD domestic UAS operations is for DoD forces to gain realistic training experience, test equipment and tactics in preparation for potential overseas warfighting missions, which occasionally also contributes DSCA training and exercises. DoD has logged millions of UAS flight hours worldwide. This extensive experience is the foundation of the Department’s careful adherence to aviation safety policies and procedures regarding both manned and unmanned aircraft. The Department of Defense fields DoD UAS across all four Services, including the National Guard. The Department currently operates more than 11,000 UAS in support of domestic training events and overseas contingency missions. These aircraft range in size from the small RQ-11B Raven to the largest RQ/MQ-4 Global Hawk/Triton, which weighs more than 32,000 pounds.

More at link.

[sneakypete]

No debate required... it is illegal.  end of debate.

@EdinVA

That depends on what they are doing while flying. It is impossible to test a new design for something that flies unless you fly it and test it's capabilities.

[EdinVA]

@EdinVA

That depends on what they are doing while flying. It is impossible to test a new design for something that flies unless you fly it and test it's capabilities.

@sneakypete
We, we have learned over the last few years, they will not do what they say.
Your government will NOT spy on you or yours.....The FBI will prosecute those that violate the law, even if they are rich and famous politicians..
You can keep your insurance...You can keep your doctor.....your cell phone does not track you....
Color me suspicious.....
I just don't believe we can trust anyone

[sneakypete]

@sneakypete

I just don't believe we can trust anyone

@EdinVA

Hard to argue with that one,but we all have to trust someone occasionally. Even strangers. Truth to tell,I have had better luck trusting strangers than I have relatives,but maybe that's just me.

[PeteS in CA]

As much I appreciate the image of an armed drone clearing rush hour traffic ahead of me, delivering packages for Amazon or FleeBay seems more likely.

[Elderberry]

In the past several years I have spotted several drones in the Houston Hobby area, usually at pretty high altitudes. I did see one large military drone at a much lower altitude above I-45 going south.

[sneakypete]

As much I appreciate the image of an armed drone clearing rush hour traffic ahead of me, delivering packages for Amazon or FleeBay seems more likely.

@PeteS in CA

Who said they are armed?

WHY would they be armed?

[PeteS in CA]

I was joking ... I used to joke around about wishing I had a GAU-8 on my car during rush hour. I know, sick ...