Drones: The Department Of Homeland Security

The history of drones goes all the way back to World War I. The first drones that were used by the U.S. military were used in 1914-1918. The drone was called Kettering Aerial Torpedo and it was able to carry a 180 pound payload of explosives. Although this drone was never operational in war, this set up the future for other drones. The next time drones have seen a lot of use was during the cold war era. During the cold war era U.S made a drone called SD-2 Overseer

Many of the current ways in which drones have begun to be integrated are in search and rescues, 3D mapping, investigative active shooter suspects, crime scene analysis, and crowd monitoring, according to Marco Margaritoff in his article, “Drones in Law Enforcement: How, Where and When They’re Used.” In the 347 United States agencies that use drones, there has been an astounding 518 percent increase in drone usage in the last two years. The reason drones have used in all the events listed above are because they are able to get up into high to reach places where they are able to record events for hours and need little attention, almost like a portable security camera. In terms of active shooter investigations, drones are so useful because they limit the exposure of police to possibly fatal events, but still allows them to receive an accurate depiction of events that are taking place. In regards to crowd monitoring, drones are able to station themselves above a huge crowd and monitor for any suspicious or actions without having officers run through crowds to check on these people, keeping citizens safer as a

Drones are very useful during warfare, from delivering supplies to soldiers, to leading reinforcements to the right direction, to actually being reinforcements with the missile technology implied into a variety of them. “Drones could also be delivering emergency medical supplies, fighting fires, and protecting endangered animals in Africa” (Source A). Not only can they deliver supplies such as food and water, but they can also deliver medical need that most troops require. Drones also stop attacks before they happen, which

Drones are wartime weapons the United States government uses to fight the War on Terror. Officially known as unmanned aerial vehicles, this type of aircraft plays a vital role in protecting the United States, as well as many other countries around the world. Although there are multiple drones owned by the United States government, the MQ-9 Reaper and MQ-1B Predator drones are the most predominantly used drones; General Atomics Aeronautical Systems manufacture both aircrafts.

One of the tremendous advantages of drones is that they can bypass most obstacles at ease. There are times there will be difficult situations to gain information. Knowing this knowledge can sometimes be critical. For instance, Sarah McCammon from National Public Radio mentions an intelligence analysts work with drone pilots and others in the Air Force to guide decisions about where to deploy weapons in the fight against ISIS and al-Qaida. Having this remote access with drones, they are able to gather information without risking their life at this dangerous environment. Another way drones can be vital is by utilizing the eyes drones can collect data. Like when there are flooded neighborhood and terrible conditions, they can use the drone to scan through the area and look for people needing help.

Drones are a fantastic way to save time for example in the article More farmers are using drones to help tend to the crops By

For example, Patrick Egan, who works in Sacramento, uses "a drone to photograph crops for farmers, helping them spot irrigation leaks" (Wingfield). This service is in high demand as Egan explains that he has “organic farmers screaming for [him] to come out.” Another aspect of property monitoring is in the energy industry, where drones are a vital tool used by oil and gas companies for inspecting and monitoring a "vast array of infrastructure – from offshore oil rigs and pipelines to storage tanks and more – as they’re safer, faster, and more cost effective." Without drones, in order to inspect an oil rig out at sea, the inspector must hang from wires to check the equipment, helicopters and ships must stand by in case of an emergency, the company must shut down the rig, costing them almost a million dollars each day, and it takes eight weeks per rig. This problem is solved using a "small drone equipped with high-definition thermal cameras and a gas leak 'sniffer'... by inspecting the rig in only five day without having to shut down (Maverick). BP uses drones to inspect pipelines in Alaska, drastically reducing the number of people needed to do the job as well as reducing the time from one week to thirty minutes (Maverick). Through just this one application alone- property monitoring, drones have had the ability to save companies millions of dollars, a number of workers, an immense amount of time, and in

UAVs have been operating longer than the public realizes by gathering military intelligence, surveying internal and externally to national borders, and monitoring telecommunications. Drones have been constructed to achieve an operational presence

Drones have several advantages over manned aircraft: they can be flown for up to thirty hours at a stretch without needing to land, can track militants over remote and rugged terrain without risk to their pilots or ground troops, and can pinpoint and strike targets, reducing the time lag between identification and response. These attributes make them especially effective in unconventional warfare, such as counterinsurgency operations in Iraq or the pursuit of al-Qaeda militants into remote and inaccessible areas, such as the Pakistani tribal areas. Drones are also cheaper than manned aircraft.

After researching the use of drones in police surveillance, I believe that we are extremely close to drones getting the green light to be used in not only surveillance, but also in police investigations. In the near future, we will hear about drones being used to locate missing

When an American first starts talking about drones the first thing that comes to mind is a military grade unmanned aerial vehicle. For the better part of the last twenty years that is what it generally meant, but now it can mean so much more, drones are starting to make their way into the life of civilians, which means a better world for the working class. The world has started to advance the technology of drones into helpful objects most would have never imagined possible. Although there are some debatable uses for drones in civilian use, the pros outweigh the con by a large margin.

Drone usage has created many economic advantages whether it is herding sheep, delivering pizza, or selling houses. Many people view drones only good for recreational use. Drones have revolutionized our economy. Drones are a low cost item that can save companies tremendous amounts of money while still creating jobs across the nation. These small-unmanned areal vehicles benefit the economy in aspects that don’t even occur to the average individual.

When talking about drones- I think it’s safe to say we all have different perceptions of what drones are and how they’re used based on how we are first introduced to them. Others can see them as a technology invention used to take jaw dropping landscapes from places we can’t reach, to others thinking it’s an invention that we can possibly use in the future to drop off items bought online in front of your house or to other individuals, drones can used for warfare purposes, as a defense or as a surveillance against other enemies. Drones popularity and interest has increasingly grown through the years, as it has been a work in progress for quite some time beginning to be created and intended to be used as a weapon used in previous wars and then on to becoming a device that allows others to use for different purposes. Based by the scholarly articles, newspapers, book pages, and journals collected- it has shown both negative and positive aspects of drone usage and how it may affect the future.

One way drones can be used is by military. Most drones in the military are fully loaded unmanned aerial vehicles with loads of cameras. They are sometimes used to protect the lives of soldiers with live video remote communications to ground troops, essential gear, or weapons. Used overseas in war zones with unknown areas and force protection.

Drone technology is advancing rapidly and it is changing the way in which things are being done. Drones are widely used by many people as a hobby or for career purposes, as well as for military purposes by the United States. Drones provide the U.S military with many benefits, which helps the military to operate efficiently and in a safe manner. Businesses are utilizing this technology as well in order to make their companies run more efficiently, as well as to improve their customer service. Drone technology will positively impact our society; drastically change our culture and political system and definitely advance our economy as well as help enhance our environment.