Drone wars: police surveillance.

• Author: Krayewski, Ed
• Position: Citings - Brief article

IN 2010 the Seattle Police Department (SPD) purchased two Dragonfly surveillance drones for a total of $82,533. It planned to use them but has not, thanks in part to controversy over domestic use of camera-carrying unmanned aircraft. Yet according to documents obtained by MuckRock, an organization that specializes in filing Freedom of Information Act requests, the department wants to buy two more drones at a cost of $150,000.

The SPD received Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval for its drones in April, after President Barack Obama signed a law authorizing the FAA to integrate civilian drones into domestic airspace. The police department's drone plans have led to contentious city council meetings featuring complaints and questions from citizens worried...