Topic: Uav

A US military commander in Iraq describes ISIL's "creative" use of drones for reconnaissance and as "Trojan horses" rigged with explosives. The commander uses the term "kinetic kill" to describe shooting down drones with small arms fire. The hosts mock the use of such "idiotic" military terminology and predict that these stories will be used to justify new regulations or bans on civilian drones in the United States.

The Department of Transportation announced plans for a mandatory drone registration system to be implemented before the 2015 Christmas holiday. The move follows a significant increase in pilot reports of near-collisions with unmanned aerial vehicles.

Author Daniel Suarez discusses his book Kill Decision, which explores the technical and geopolitical implications of autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles. Suarez explains how globalized high-tech manufacturing and cyber espionage allow for the proliferation of drones that can make lethal decisions without human intervention. The narrative examines a scenario where the United States faces low-intensity warfare from untraceable robotic attackers.

During a Congressional hearing, Professor Todd Humphreys suggests that drones could eventually be used for commercial tasks like delivering burritos to doorsteps. The hosts mock this trivialization of surveillance technology. The discussion also covers the FAA's plan to accelerate the adoption of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) into national airspace by 2015.

The FAA has passed legislation opening U.S. skies to commercial drones, prompting a discussion on property rights and the legal limit of 500 feet for private airspace. There is a call for citizens to defend their privacy against low-flying UAVs, noting the heavy lobbying from the defense industry to replace helicopters with drones.

Listeners have registered and forwarded several domain names to the No Agenda website as a form of promotion. Notable domains include noagendaSuperPAC.com, glutenfreestrippers.com, and 2americans1drone.com. These contributions are acknowledged as part of the show's "PR Associates" segment.

The FAA is moving to regulate domestic drone flights, requiring operators to hold a pilot's license. Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security is soliciting proposals for a "Wide Area Aerial Surveillance System" (WAESS). The hosts discuss the rapid expansion of drone use by police departments and the federal government for 24/7 surveillance over American cities.

The act addresses the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by the Department of Homeland Security along the U.S.-Mexico border. It also prioritizes security for railway and subway networks, suggesting an expansion of TSA-style screening to public transit. The hosts contrast this with President Obama's previous promises that train travel would not require removing shoes.

The NDAA funds the "Transregional Web Initiative," an $18 million program for the U.S. Special Operations Command to develop websites tailored to influence foreign audiences. The initiative requires measurement mechanisms like Google Analytics to ensure target audiences are reached. The hosts also point out the massive amounts of money allocated for the procurement of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and ammunition.

Doug Davis of New Mexico State University explains that the primary obstacle to fully automated civilian planes and drones is a lack of frequency spectrum. The hosts suggest that the Obama administration's push to reclaim the 700 MHz spectrum is actually intended to provide bandwidth for domestic drone operations.

The Congressional Unmanned Systems Caucus, co-chaired by Buck McKeon and Henry Cuellar, is working to expand the use of drones in US national airspace. The caucus aims to support the drone industry for defense, law enforcement, and homeland security purposes. A promotional video from the caucus website highlights the strategic value of unmanned systems for border surveillance.

A draft study reported by the Associated Press claims that automation is eroding the flying skills of commercial pilots. The hosts argue this is a PR plant designed to justify the FAA's transition to the "NextGen" air traffic system, which favors unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). They predict a future where commercial flights are fully automated and controlled by military-industrial contractors like Raytheon.

The Arianne Scout Micro UAV is being marketed through PR videos highlighting its use by Libyan rebels to coordinate resistance. The three-pound robotic reconnaissance system uses a touchscreen interface rather than joysticks, allowing for rapid deployment. This high-tech equipment contrasts sharply with footage of rebels in sandals shooting AK-47s aimlessly.

A collision between a 12-foot drone and an Air Force cargo plane in Afghanistan has accelerated the debate over integrating Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into American airspace. The FAA is working on a "NextGen" air traffic network to be implemented by 2025 to manage the influx of military and commercial drones. Proponents suggest drones will assist firefighters and search-and-rescue teams, while skeptics fear domestic surveillance and safety risks to commercial aviation.

Iceland is proposing the "Icelandic Modern Media Initiative" to become a global safe haven for investigative journalism and whistleblowers. Meanwhile, Microsoft has released a Predator drone module for its Flight Simulator, which the hosts view as a tool for preconditioning the public for domestic drone surveillance.

The Dutch military is reportedly deploying hundreds of small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to monitor the New Year's Eve transition. While officially intended to prevent illegal fireworks and public disorder, the move is viewed as an expansion of domestic aerial surveillance.

UK Home Secretary Jackie Smith has proposed the use of small, remote-controlled Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for police surveillance. These drones, equipped with heat-seeking cameras, are presented as a cost-effective alternative to helicopters. The discussion touches on the potential for hobbyists to interfere with these devices and the increasing "conditioning" of the public to constant surveillance.