Aeryon Labs, manufacturer of the Aeryon Scout (a small man-packable flying robotic reconnaissance system) is pleased to announce it has been awarded a contract to supply its Aeryon Scout unmanned aerial vehicle to Halton Regional Police.
Source: aeryon.com
The Aeryon scout has proven to be successful in locating the compounds of Central American drug dealers. The Libyan rebels even purchased one for $100,000 and learned how to use it in under 20 minutes. Using it for surveillance of Gadhafi’s compounds.
Ian McDonald, a marketing vice-president at Aeryon Labs has stated:
“You can think of the system as a flying camera”. “It can carry thermal cameras, high-res still camera, video camera with 10x optical zoom.”
“If you can use Google maps, you can fly a drone.”
“You can observe what a person is carrying, a stick or a shovel, and if you get closer you can even do facial recognition.”
Security expert Alex Holstein said the technology could too easily allow users to infringe on personal liberties.
“Citizens should always be aware of what their government are investing in and civil libertarians particularly need to keep an eye on things to ensure there aren’t abuses of the technology.”
Transport Canada has issued 293 flight certificates, allowing for 1,000 civilian drones to be used in Canada, since 2007. That number can be expected to sharply increase sine it has been projected that the market for UAVs in the next 10 years will total $94 billion.
UAV’s are beginning to enter ever aspect of Canadians lives. Recently at the “three Amigos” summit American UAV’s flying over all three North American nations was a big concern.
“Ottawa’s privacy czar is expressing fears that unmanned aircraft could soon be peering down onto all three countries in North America.
“I think Canadians should be concerned about the increasing use of drones,” Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart told The Globe and Mail in an interview Monday.”
theglobeandmail.com
Are you comfortable having predator drones patrolling our borders and possibly further into our country? Or how about your local police force patrolling the skies with smaller drone aircraft’s? That employ thermal imaging (can see through your roof and walls), and facial recognition.
Kevin the old style thermal imaging cannot, but there is various new technologies emerging everyday. For example http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1553786/posts
If this technology is effective in assuring law enforcement to do their jobs the I say bring it on. The claim that thermal imaging can see through roofs and walls is untrue. Research facts before writing a story folks. What a quick way to toss credibility away!
We have the lowest crime rate in 30 years! But a pretty darn high unemployment rate. How does this make any sense at all?! We need more funding for schools and local independent businesses..not for surveillance.
Something is very crooked here…and the people are catching on.
That’s not an excuse to allow infringement of your privacy. Do you really think that our government is only going to be watching for real criminals? This is so they can keep tabs on us. Look all around the world at all the online surveillance bills that are passing, continued bloodshed all around the world, this is about suppressing us, not keeping us in line. Besides, I think we should strive for a society where we can police ourselves, and when that doesn’t work, we adhere to the rule of law. You don’t seem to take your freedoms very seriously.
Sheeple…Obedient people with NO desire or need to THINK. Un-f-ing-believable!
Maybe YOU think that you do NOTHING illegal..Someone operating that drone may have a different perspective. NOT everything is as it apears at ALL times.
You need to find out who your Minister of parliament is. Service Canada, Elections Canada or any public servant should tell you who represents your riding (neighbourhood).
You would then tell them your concerns and that you base your vote on it, if that’s the case. It’s a great thing to see citizens taking a role in the democratic process that works towards a future we envision, as democratic Canadians.
Ok Nancy, are you a Canadian Citizen? were you born in Canada. We have something called a Constitution and a piece of paper called the Charter of Rights and Freedoms which just turned 30 years old.
Real Canadians understand that we live in a free society. Many Canadian soldiers have given their life to fight Totalitarian Governments so that we do not turn into a Communist/Nazi like Regime.
Having the Government or Police watch Citizens is against our freedoms.
You think it’s a “great tool for keeping people in line”
In line from what exactly? We have a lower crime rate than 30 years ago.
Wake Up! or move to China if you like Big Brother Government.
BTW, this goes for Gale as well. You two should become BFF’s.
I have to comment on Gale. Your statement is so disturbing on so many fronts.
You feel we have too many individuals out there who are invading the security of law abiding citizens…
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT????
That statement is so empty. Let me put things into perspective for you. The chances of someone in North America being killed by a terrorist attack is about 1 in 30 million. Yet over 250 000 people die every year from taking approved prescription drugs. Gale that’s 685 people a day.
And what is our Government doing about that…
NOTHING!!!
they are too busy wasting our money to turn our society into a police state.
Move to China!
nicky and gale, when you say these things like”I don’t care what,just do something with these people(like sending them to siberia)that will keep them from harming others.” or ” the only ones who should be scared are the ones with something to hide.”…
I really hope you mean all the out of control cops and bureaucrats.They are the ones causing excessive harm and trying to hide the terrible things they do,in case you haven’t noticed.
If you talk with people that lived through the early years in Nazi Germany they will tell you they lost their rights a little bit at a time. The US has lost Habeas Corpus thanks to the war on terror.
“I have nothing to hide”…Amazing how naïve some people are! I suggest they read some history.
The old ‘if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear’ line is a fascist favourite. Millions of people who had nothing to hide disappeared into Stalin’s gulag and Hitler’s concentration and extermination camps. Tens of millions of Chinese who also had nothing to hide were murdered on Mao’s orders. Are you naive or merely stupid?
I believe that if you have something to hide or not, having drones patrolling our streets is not the solution. This technology can and most likely will be used to hunt down “terrorist” and “extremist” in fabricated plots. A well know tactic used by government in order to make the public demand more laws and regulations that all they do is to put innocent people behind bars. Taxpayers are paying for their own enslavement. If I ever notice one of those flying around my private property, let me tell you, it would not fly out. We are the resistance, information is power, ignorance is enslavement.
I do not have a problem with this. If you have nothing to hide you should’nt be concerned. It is sad that it has come to this, however, there are too many individuals out there who are invading the security of law abiding citizens and if this is the only way we can stop them, I say, great, go for it…..I’m sick of people getting away with breaking the law, harming innocent people, etc , etc,…..The only problem now with this tech is that when these people are arrested, the courts let them back out on the streets the next day. Send them to siberia for 10 or 20 years, get them off the streets,,,bring back the death penalty, I don’t care what, just do something with these people that will keep them from harming others.
Sounds good, who cares what they watch. I do nothing illegal, i don’t care whomever watches me, nothing to hide. I think it’s a great tool for keeping people in line, society is on a free for all and if they need to be watched to be kept in line then so be it…they’ve brought it upon themselves. Only those who have something to hide should
Care about this.
This scares the shit out of me..
Back off big brother..!!
If I see one of these flying camera’s hovering in my back yard, I will no doubt mistake it for a flock of starlings and blow it outta the sky.
You did not write any ideas as to who to contact to tell the Canadian government we are against this and it infringes on our privacy. Are there any actions which are going to follow up on this?