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Domestic Spying: Mini-Drone Can Watch Neighbors From Above
CBS DC ^ | August 10,2012 | —Benjamin Fearnow

Posted on 08/10/2012 3:43:21 PM PDT by Hojczyk

Controlling the drone is intuitive and touch-sensitive to the iPod or iPad controller. Power it on and the four propellers will lift the miniature aircraft up off the ground. Simply press a button and the drone will rise up a meter higher into the air and then sit and wait for your next command. To move the drone around, simply tilt your iPhone or iPad in any direction you desire.

The WiFi remote connection from one’s phone only extends 200 feet, which is shorter than it sounds, according to many users in the blogosphere. But to use your phone just install the AR Freeflight 2.0 application in a matter of seconds. One can see what the mini-drone is seeing in real-time through your Apple device.

The Parrot AR 2.0 Drone is the most affordable miniature drone on the market. However, according to customer service write-ups on Amazon and Parrot’s website, it seems like Parrot may have some kinks to work out of both its customer service and WiFi product.

Just don’t tell your neighbors.

Price: $300

Weight: 380 grams with outdoor hull; 420 grams with Styrofoam indoor hull

Motors: 4 brushless 14.5-watt, 28,500 RPM in-runner motors

Battery: 3 elements 1,000 mA/hour LiPo rechargeable

Camera: 720p, 30fps HD

Lens: 92-degree diagonal wide angle

Processor: 1 GHz 32-bit ARM Cortex A8

(Excerpt) Read more at washington.cbslocal.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: drones; surveillance; uavs
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1 posted on 08/10/2012 3:43:30 PM PDT by Hojczyk
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To: Hojczyk

Slow news evening for Drudge? This toy has been around for a couple years. I always want to buy one for Christmas but don’t because I know I would break it in two seconds.


2 posted on 08/10/2012 3:48:30 PM PDT by Callahan
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To: Hojczyk
I think there would be a robust market for a home version:


3 posted on 08/10/2012 3:49:42 PM PDT by nascarnation
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To: All


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4 posted on 08/10/2012 3:51:24 PM PDT by musicman (Until I see the REAL Long Form Vault BC, he's just "PRES__ENT" Obama = Without "ID")
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To: Hojczyk

Paintball fun!


5 posted on 08/10/2012 3:51:59 PM PDT by TribalPrincess2U (0bama's agenda—Divide and conquer.)
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To: Hojczyk

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Parrot+AR+2.0+Drone&oq=Parrot+AR+2.0+Drone&gs_l=youtube.3..0.1263.1263.0.3943.1.1.0.0.0.0.132.132.0j1.1.0...0.0...1ac.bCHeLy99d0A


6 posted on 08/10/2012 3:52:24 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (Nope 2012)
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To: Hojczyk
Wicked Lasers

Should help take care of any pesky drone....
7 posted on 08/10/2012 3:58:01 PM PDT by Kozak (The means of defence against foreign danger, have been always the instruments of tyranny at home JM)
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To: Hojczyk

It’s a cool idea, but I can see folks getting in all sorts of trouble with this.

The idea of you being able to fly it over your own property is very enticing. Being able to record video of it..., wow.

I liked this the first time I saw it about a year ago, and I still do.

Thanks for the refresher.


8 posted on 08/10/2012 3:59:59 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (Nope 2012)
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To: Hojczyk

> 3 elements 1,000 mA/hour LiPo rechargeable
Lithium Polymer.
First thing that came to mind was Lithium Polonium,
I think I’d have abbreviated it “Poly: instead of “Po”.


9 posted on 08/10/2012 4:01:06 PM PDT by BuffaloJack (Repeal Obamacare, the CITIZENSHIP TAX)
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To: Hojczyk
I just came back from the annual AUVSI (Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International) convention in Las Vegas, some would probably call it the annual Drone convention. There were literally dozens of such UAVs on display and for sale at the convention.

Here are some harsh realities:
1. The Federal government controls all airspace above your property. You have no rights or jurisdiction over that space.
2. It is not the technology that is a threat!!!
3. These are the kind of UAVs that the police will use. These are the 30,000 the FAA intends to license to fly in national airspace. There is no way any of these can carry any kind of ordinance. Small cameras yes.
4. These are ridiculous to control in any kind of wind.
5. Since ordinary citizens can buy these, anyone can spy on the police and post their activities on YouTube, just as easily as the police can use them to catch crooks, catch speeders, analyze mass casualty crime scenes, etc.
6. The big issue is this. Why can a government agency legally fly such technology easier than a commercial entity or a private citizen? Therein lies the real threat to society.
10 posted on 08/10/2012 4:03:07 PM PDT by LukeSW (The truth shall make you free!)
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To: Hojczyk
As if I needed one more reason to buy one of these.
11 posted on 08/10/2012 4:05:20 PM PDT by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
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To: Hojczyk
"1,000 mA/hour LiPo rechargeable"...

LithiumPolonium?!?

Sounds deadly!!! (Google "Polonium poisoning")

Obviously the stupid Frenchman (or whatever) broke all chmical nomenclature rules -- and meant "LithiumPolymer"...

~~~~~~~~~~

Looks like a fun toy, though... '-)

12 posted on 08/10/2012 4:08:49 PM PDT by TXnMA ("Allah": Satan's current alias...)
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To: TXnMA
"chEmical"
13 posted on 08/10/2012 4:11:47 PM PDT by TXnMA ("Allah": Satan's current alias...)
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To: Hojczyk
Sorry if this is a dopey question but I know next to nothing about 'puters, wifi and such.

This would be perfect for monitoring our SHTF retreat. No neighbors but also no power company electric, no land line phone available, no cell signal. Would I need any of that stuff to use a drone like this?


14 posted on 08/10/2012 4:13:00 PM PDT by I see my hands (It's time to.. KICK OUT THE JAMS, MOTHER FREEPERS!)
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To: BuffaloJack
LOL! I spent too much time playing with HTML tags... '-(

You'd think that stupid Frog would know his history -- "Polonium" was discovered (and named for Poland) by the Polish wife of the Frenchman, Curie...

15 posted on 08/10/2012 4:16:54 PM PDT by TXnMA ("Allah": Satan's current alias...)
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To: Hojczyk

I need something like this, but it needs to be able to carry and remotely drop a water balloon. I intend to bomb my neighbor. We’re friends and he’s a retired US Marine, so I know he will retaliate... it should be fun. LOL


16 posted on 08/10/2012 4:28:16 PM PDT by Gator113 (***YOU GAVE it to Obama. I would have voted for NEWT.~Just livin' life, my way~)
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To: Gator113

Gator, these kinds of activities can cause real heartache and negative impact on the wallet due to a lawsuit.

I’ve warned my nephew about such things as I’ve known people who’ve been seriously injured or killed. How could a joke go so wrong?


17 posted on 08/10/2012 4:41:43 PM PDT by SatinDoll (NATURAL BORN CITZEN: BORN IN THE USA OF CITIZEN PARENTS.)
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To: Joe 6-pack

ME LIKEY !!!!

Way too cool !!


18 posted on 08/10/2012 4:45:13 PM PDT by onona (loving butter pecan)
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To: LukeSW
These are the kind of UAVs that the police will use. These are the 30,000 the FAA intends to license to fly in national airspace. There is no way any of these can carry any kind of ordinance. Small cameras yes.

And where in VFR airspace will they be? And does this not potentially put a crimp in an already sick Gen_Av industry?

Haven't been to AUVSI, but I am go yet.... :-)...

19 posted on 08/10/2012 4:51:42 PM PDT by taildragger (( Palin / Mulally 2012 ))
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To: I see my hands

Plane has a battery, ipad has a battery, and local monitoring and control devices like the tablet would talk through a wifi access point which can be run off of battery. The only catch is if you want to control and monitor from more than a few hundred feet. Then you could still set up some control and viewing network with some point to point links and be a few miles away. That would still be all battery, no wires, no cell tower.


20 posted on 08/10/2012 4:54:14 PM PDT by palmer (Jim, please bill me 50 cents for this completely useless post)
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