Recent news stories have focused on the use of drones in law enforcement. While a majority of people are in favor of this, there is a fear that these drones will be used to invade your privacy. This blog will discuss how some of these fears might be justified while others are an overreaction.
More than 30 U.S. police departments use drones to some degree. Unmanned aerial vehicles, they’re mostly deployed during critical incidents as an extra set of eyes. As of 2016, the five states with the most drone units in law enforcement were Texas, Florida, California, Ohio, and Missouri, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics.
Drones are a contentious issue. Some say they’re a matter of civil liberties, others say they’re a danger to privacy and maybe even security. Most people remain somewhere in the middle. This makes spotting police drones at night a touchy issue. You don’t want to worry about something you can’t control, on one hand. On the other hand, you don’t want to be ignorant about something you can control. This blog will look at nighttime drone spotting and why you shouldn’t worry (much).
If you think that a police drone is watching you, it’s probably not a police drone. If you really do spot a police drone, it’s not a cause for panic either. We will take a look at how police drones can be spotted at night and why you shouldn’t worry.
What are the signs that police surveillance drones are watching you? That’s the question currently on many peoples’ minds, given the rapid increase in drone use by law enforcement agencies across the country. While you should definitely be aware of how police drones may be used in your area, the fact of the matter is that, generally speaking, there are multiple warning signs which indicate whether or not you may be under surveillance by law enforcement drones – and they’re often easy to spot once you know what to look for.
There’s probably at least one police drone overhead right now if you live in a city. They’re used to catch criminals, locate missing people, and as an extra set of eyes for everything from traffic accidents to fires. If you are like most people, however, the word drone still brings up memories of military action overseas, causing many civilians to worry about government surveillance and invasion of privacy.
While drones have long been used by the military to spy on enemy positions, they’re rapidly gaining popularity in consumer and business environments, as well. Some people see this as dangerous encroachment of privacy, while others think it’s not worth worrying about. Here are some important things to know if you’re concerned about privacy invasion from police drones at night or any other time of day.
Don’t worry, technology may save you
New technology can be both a blessing and a curse. In one sense, it simplifies our lives and gives us new ways to accomplish things. In contrast, it can also be used to invade our privacy. Among the best examples of this are police drones. Even though they can be used for good, they can also be used to spy on people. Do police drones spy on you? How can you tell? The process isn’t as difficult as you might think. The signs of surveillance are evident in several ways.
Don’t worry, they have rules
You might be wondering if the police are using drones to spy on you. The short answer is: they probably are. But there are rules that they have to follow, so you shouldn’t worry too much. First of all, a warrant must be issued before they can use it in any investigation. Second, the drone can only be used during daylight hours and can’t fly over your home or through windows to see inside without another warrant being issued. Lastly, it has to stay within the operator’s line of sight at all times which means that any footage captured by it will always show the operator’s location as well.
Don’t worry, there are laws in place
Although it may seem like the police are spying on you when they use drones, there are actually laws in place that regulate how and when they can be used. For example, the police can only use drones for surveillance if they have a warrant. So if you see a drone flying around at night, don’t worry too much – the police are probably just doing their job.
Some people are concerned about the privacy implications of having drones surveilling them, but according to civil liberties lawyer David Jacobs, The first amendment protects us from unreasonable searches and seizures by law enforcement. If someone is not committing a crime or engaged in some sort of criminal activity then they do not have anything to fear from the police using a drone to investigate them.
Don’t worry, we have rights
You might be wondering if the police drones flying overhead are spying on you. While it is true that they have the ability to record video and audio, there are laws in place that protect our privacy. The law states that all footage collected by these devices must be obtained with a warrant from a judge or magistrate. In other words, unless the police have probable cause for an arrest, then the footage cannot be used as evidence against you or anyone else who was being recorded by the drone at any given time.
Don’t worry, someone is looking out for you
Most of us have a general sense that we’re being watched. Despite not liking it, we accept it as a trade-off for living in a society. When it comes to police drones, though, some people are worried that their privacy is being invaded. But these fears are unfounded. Here’s why For one thing, the Federal Aviation Administration prohibits use of drone surveillance over private property without the owner’s permission.
Even if there were no such regulations, aerial video footage has its limitations: Objects outside the frame are hidden from view and may be missed entirely unless they’re tracked by an automated search system. As long as you’re careful about what you post online and who you associate with offline, then your chances of being monitored by a drone are pretty slim!
Conclusion
Police drones are an increasingly common sight in the skies above us. As the technology becomes cheaper and more accessible (and as the FAA continues to loosen the rules around their use), the number of police drones in the air will only continue to grow. You’ve probably seen one yourself, but have you ever wondered how to spot a police drone at night? As it turns out, it’s not difficult, and at the end of this article, you’ll understand exactly how to recognize a police drone at night and why you shouldn’t worry about it.
