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.â€
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