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The Pentagon deployed drones 11 times throughout the 2018 fiscal year. That's the same number they deployed from 2011 to 2017 combined. The drones varied from civilian drones to military strike aircraft, and they were used for disaster relief, reconnaissance and everything in-between.
New data published by the Pentagon has revealed when drones were used, what they were used for and how long their missions lasted. Over half of the missions fell under the "Defense Support of Civil Authorities," which only became viable this year after the Secretary of Defense removed oversight requirements.
[...] In total, there were three year-long missions and eight short-term missions which lasted an average of three months each.
Hellfires helping homefires between disaster relief and reconnaissance?
Don't forget to register and license those homebrew hoverers, hmmm?
(Score: 4, Insightful) by DannyB on Monday January 28 2019, @04:56PM (1 child)
It would be interesting to see just how far politicians could stretch the meaning of disaster relief.
Sort of like stretching the meaning of "national emergency". For example, 9/11 was a national emergency. The people of the US rallied behind the president whether they voted for him or not. Democrats and Republicans stood united on the capital steps and sang God Bless America. In a real national emergency, there is close to unanimous support for the efforts to do something to rectify it.
Now "national emergency" can mean anything the president wants, even if there is deep division, or even majority opposition.
We've already seen how "terrorism" is the magical card to grant emergency powers, the PATRIOT act, create TSA to search for nail clippers. Stand back! I'm going to take over the plane with my nail clippers! CLIP! CLIP CLIP!!! Stand back I say! Nobody could possibly overpower me with my trusty nail clippers!
I can't want to see what they can do with "Disaster Relief".
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 1) by DmT on Monday January 28 2019, @05:40PM
Even more disturbing is that I have to give my fingerprints when I get my travel passport - in a totally different country than the US, just because - maybe I want to visit the US some day and the US requires that, so my (US military protection enjoying) country also requires that.
Additionally, my one blade Gillette blades get confiscated most of the time in European flights - perhaps I will shave some (terrorists) beard off with them during flight and cause a calamity? :P