A bill to establish regulations on the domestic use of drones that could be used to monitor civilians was introduced yesterday by Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima).
Drones, also known as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), have been used for military aircraft in the war on terror. They have also been deployed domestically with cameras and sensors and for traffic monitoring.
"I am concerned because domestic drones have the potential to be used for surreptitious surveillance activities that infringe upon fundamental constitutional rights," Padilla said in the press release. "We must ensure that there are clear guidelines in place that protect the rights of all Californians."
The Federal Aviation Association projects that there could be more than 10,000 commercial drones in U. S. airspace within 5 years. The International Association of Chiefs of Police issued a national advisory urging that the unmanned aircraft not be armed.
