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Joe you can quit worrying about black helicopters

Ohiosam

*Supporting Member*
11,708
191
Mahoning Co.
Big Bro has moved passed them.

There are at least 63 active drone sites around the U.S, federal authorities have been forced to reveal following a landmark Freedom of Information lawsuit.
The unmanned planes – some of which may have been designed to kill terror suspects – are being launched from locations in 20 states.
Most of the active drones are deployed from military installations, enforcement agencies and border patrol teams, according to the Federal Aviation Authority.

But, astonishingly, 19 universities and colleges are also registered as owners of what are officially known as unmanned aerial vehicles.
It is thought that many of institutions, which include Cornell, the University of Colorado, Georgia Tech, and Eastern Gateway Community College, are developing drone technology.

There are also 21 mainstream manufactures, such as General Atomics, who are registered to use drones domestically.
As well as active locations, the FAA also revealed 16 sites where licences to use spy planes have expired and four where authorisations have been disapproved, such as Otter Tail County, Minnesota.

The authority revealed the information after a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit by Electronic Frontier Foundation.
Its website hosts an interactive map that allows the user to zoom in to the area around where they live to see if any sites are nearby.
However, the FAA is yet to reveal what kinds of drones might be based at any of these locations.
The agency says it will release this data later.
Most of the drones are likely to be small craft, such as the Draganflyer X8, which can carry a payload of only 2.2lb.
Police, border patrols and environmental agencies, such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), could use for them effectively.
While few would object to vast open areas being monitored for wildfires, there are fears of privacy violations if drones are used to spy over cities.

Other drones – likely to be operated only by the armed forces – might include the MQ-9 Reaper and the MQ-1 Predator, which was used to kill American Al Qaeda boss Anwar al-Awlaki in Yemen last September.
The FAA released two lists of public and private entities that have applied for authorisations to fly drones domestically.
Certificates of Authorizations (COAs), issued to public entities like police departments, are active in 42 locations, expired in 16 and disapproved in four.
Special Airworthiness Certificates (SACs), issued to private drone manufacturers, are active in 21 locations and not active in 17.
Among the other unanswered questions, however, are is exactly how many drones each registered user owns.
The FAA has confirmed that there were about 300 active COAs and that the agency has issued about 700-750 authorizations since the program began in 2006.
But this information does not reveal how many are owned, for example, by Miami Dade Police Department.
While the use of drones in the U.S. is little known, American operations overseas have been well documented.
As well as high-profile terrorists, campaigners claim hundreds of innocent civilians have been killed in the border regions of Pakistan, where they are most active.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...reveal-63-launch-sites-U-S.html#ixzz1sxs4K2Gg

This map of some of the locations is revealing. I think it might shed light on the secret to Mike Rex's success deer hunting.
 
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Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
Crazy isn't it.. That map isn't complete though.. They have them here at the Springfield ANG base or WrightPatt. I've seen them flying around Springfield and Clark County.
 

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,834
247
Crazy isn't it.. That map isn't complete though.. They have them here at the Springfield ANG base or WrightPatt. I've seen them flying around Springfield and Clark County.

I have a buddy that flies them out of Springfield. They have just switched over from operating and training Dutch aircraft to drones. The ones you may have seen around springfield are likely trainers. They are operating in Afghanistan from Springfield....now that is crazy.
 

Riverdude

The Happy Hunting Grounds Beyond
Supporting Member
10,254
115
Ashtabula, Ohio
Dang, that one by Pittsburgh is just down the road from where we are drilling! :smiley_couch: :smiley_bodyguard:
 

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
56,741
274
North Carolina
What's the differance between the Red and Blue pins? Being licensed and actually flying out of an area may mean two differant things..... We have 130's out everywhere but only a handfull of bases have them stationed at them......
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
If nothing else, maybe Huck could acquire the rights to use a drone so he can keep track of his clothes? Just an idea.
 

RedCloud

Super Moderator
Super Mod
17,381
193
North Central Ohio
What's the differance between the Red and Blue pins? Being licensed and actually flying out of an area may mean two differant things..... We have 130's out everywhere but only a handfull of bases have them stationed at them......

See them everyday all day long out of the 179th ;)

C130's
C27J's
 
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