Robocop: Drones at Home
Boston Review
By Joseph Nevins
In September 2010 the House Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) Caucus held a technology fair. In the foyer of the Rayburn House Office Building, dozens of people hovered around tables covered with literature, video screens showing images of the earth’s surface, and models of UAVs—popularly known as “drones.”
The crowd was almost exclusively male. Most were conservatively dressed in the dark suits and ties that dominate Capitol Hill, though a handful wore the desert-brown jumpsuits of UAV pilots.
In his opening remarks to the gathering, Congressman Howard “Buck” McKeon, the California Republican who co-chairs and cofounded the bipartisan caucus, spoke of its mission: “To advocate for unmanned systems and ensure we continue to invest in the future. During these tough economic times, unmanned technology is one of the few consistent and dynamic areas of growth in American industry.”
U.K. police have used micro UAVs to monitor ‘anti-social behavior,’ such as political protests.
Honeywell T-Hawk Micro Air Vehicle
Honeywell’s T-Hawk Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) is a ducted fan UAV that can take off and land vertically from complex desert and urban terrains without using runways or helipads. It can easily fly down to inspect hazardous areas for threats without exposing warfighters to enemy fire. The T-Hawk is small enough to carry in a backpack and is equipped with a video camera that relays information back to foot soldiers using a portable handheld terminal. For more information, visit Honeywell.
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