The relatively new technology of modern Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) inherently offers potentially great benefits to myriad facets of the U.S. economy. However, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the lead federal agency responsible for policy, regulation, and oversight of UAS technology and integration outside the military, has been working this issue since the mid- 2000′s—with…
There’s a dark side to the flurry of reports and testimony on drones, helpful as they are in many ways. When we read that Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch oppose drone strikes that violate international law, some of us may be inclined to interpret that as a declaration that, in fact, drone strikes violate…
The U.S. military’s research program on laser weapons continues to make strides in demonstrating the potential of directed energy to defend against missiles, artillery shells, and other explosives at the speed of light. Laser weapons have been used in test firings from the ground to successfully shoot down unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and to destroy…
The crash of a U.S. drone on the Seychelles Island in 2012 was the second crash of a U.S. drone on Seychelles in four months during a U.S. surveillance missions over Somalia. This underlines the deadly folly of a U.S. collaboration with national laboratory scientists and the Northrop Grumman Corp. for nuclear-powered drones. The use of nuclear power…
Residents of San Diego county are justifiably concerned that new drone technology will soon be tested over their homes and schools. The area has recently been approved as an official FAA drone testing site. The people of Julian, California, in San Diego County, packed a crowded forum on the test site hosted by Back Country Voices. The event brought together a…
On February 14, 2012, the President signed the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (FMRA) into law. The FMRA includes requirements for integrating unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into the national airspace system (NAS), including direction for the FAA to “establish a program to integrate unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace system at six…
Back Country Voices 