Representatives in Lansing this week will consider how to keep unmanned aerial surveillance by law enforcement from intruding on citizens' liberties.
The House Criminal Justice Committee on Wednesday will consider bills to regulate police departments' video-equipped drones, a new eye-in-the-sky tehcnology. Steve Carmody of Michigan Radio previews the hearing:
"The Qube" is a four-camera drone made by a California company, AeroVironment, Inc."There are uses for drones," says Rep. Tom McMillin, R-Rochester Hills. But he says there shouldbe strict limits on when and how drones can be used in Michigan.
"We're talking about what they should be used for and making sure that the government is not violating search and seizure laws and constitutional laws."
For example, McMillin says police should only use drones when they have a search warrant or are dealing with an imminent threat. The bill would also not allow law enforcement agencies to fly drones that contain, mount or can carry “a lethal or nonlethal weapon or weapon system of any type."
The Oakland County representative introduced legislation that would bar agencies from using information collected accidentally by drones deployed for another reason. Such videos "shall not be used, copied, or disclosed for any purpose, but shall be deleted as soon as possible, and in no event later than 24 hours after collection,” McMillan's bill says, Carmody reports.
Under a federal law that kicks in next month, police can fly small drones below 400 feet. This three-minute video below from a California manufacturer shows how they'd help officers:
