Predator Drones Being Configured To Listen To Your Phone Calls

[unhappycamper]

http://www.uproxx.com/technology/2013/03/predator-drones-being-configured-to-listen-to-your-phone-calls/



Predator Drones Being Configured To Listen To Your Phone Calls
Written by Dan Seitz / 03.04.13

Currently we live in a world where relatively cheap robots fly around the globe, firing hot, screaming death at anybody that annoys the owner. Fortunately, here in America, we don’t have those. No, the Predator drones we have are just busy bad-touching our privacy.

In recently unearthed data about the Department of Homeland Security’s drone fleet, some pretty creepy stuff has come to light, a not-so-gentle reminder that, yeah, these things can actually be pretty scary even without the Hellfire missiles:

Homeland Security’s specifications for its drones, built by San Diego-based General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, say they “shall be capable of identifying a standing human being at night as likely armed or not,” meaning carrying a shotgun or rifle. They also specify “signals interception” technology that can capture communications in the frequency ranges used by mobile phones, and “direction finding” technology that can identify the locations of mobile devices or two-way radios.

Basically one of these things can figure out whether you’re armed, and, if you are, route your phone calls to the nearest police station for easy listening.

[CincyDem]

1. And we all thought SkyNet was science fiction. Yeah...right. n/t

[LiberalEsto]

2. Gee, I hope they enjoy hearing me hang up on telemarketers

I hardly ever make phone calls any more.

[dipsydoodle]

3. Don't think they'd me too exciting

To my daughter...............be home in about 10 minutes : can you make some coffee please.

[ladjf]

4. I just don't get it. nt

[darkangel218]

5. Drones are scary looking.

They look freaky. :/

[darkangel218]

6. What are those things on its belly

Rockets?

[unhappycamper]

7. Those two little thingies on the edge of the left wing

are $160 grand Raytheon Hellfire missiles.

[darkangel218]

8. :(

[darkangel218]

9. I definitely DO NOT like drones.

[dixiegrrrrl]

10. Few people realize drones have been flying around the USA for a few years now.

Mesa County, colordao:

Miller's department in rural western Colorado has the widest approval to fly drones of any local law enforcement agency in the U.S.
Mesa has flown 40 missions in just over three years, ‘none of them surveillance,’ said Miller, who crafted the department's drone program and spent a year devising training protocol for fellow deputies before receiving FAA approval

Texas pilot Gene Robinson has been designing and flying domestic drone systems custom-made for disaster and emergency response for more than a decade.
Robinson said his drone has flown dozens of search missions for law enforcement agencies in 29 states and four countries, locating 10 missing persons after traditional search-and-rescue resources were exhausted.

When the FAA formally banned commercial drone use in the U.S. in 2007, Robinson registered his company as a 501(c)3 nonprofit to sidestep the ban on commercial drone use.
‘That drives the FAA nuts,’ Miller said..

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2287658/Help-The-emergency-services-drones-picture-400ft-used-spy-Americans.html