Monday, 14 May 2012

The "eye in the sky !"

There is a certain inevitability about the plans for drone aircraft to be included in the air wing of state police forces.  When we visit a city centre or any entertainment district we know that every move is being watched by cctv cameras - and this pays a safety dividend.

There is a suspicion that drones will be used to replace speed cameras on our road systems, particularly if the government adopts a timed distance method of detecting speeding.   The weakness of the fixed camera system is our ability to recognise where the cameras are located - and act accordingly.    Drones locked into satellite positioning technology would be able to police almost any section of road - and turn it into a revenue stream for government coffers.

Our opposition to drones revolves around the sure knowledge that we sometimes drive just a fraction faster than the law allows - and we resent paying a fine and losing points when they develop a new method of catching us !

Drones are inevitable because they are hugely cheaper to buy than a manned police helicopter.  As a consequence, we can expect to see more of them in the sky and this will help with swiftly detecting the outbreak of bushfires - and surveying bush areas for illicit Marijuana plantations.    They will also be invaluable as a SES aid in tracking lost bush walkers.

The march of technology is relentless.  Drones have changed the concept of battlefields as wars have morphed from people in uniform carrying weapons - to shadowy figures in mufti delivering concealed bombs in civilian areas.

Before we condemn progress, it would be a good idea to consider the benefits.  A decade from now, that " eye in the sky " will probably be no more unusual than the " smart phone " in our pocket - and all the benefits that it delivers !


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