Drones in police departments raise red flags for privacy advocates

As drones become cheaper and more capable, more police departments across the country are asking for and getting federal approval to use them for law enforcement.

But the Federal Aviation Administration only takes safety into consideration when it grants a law enforcement agency approval to use drones, leaving privacy protections to legislation — which, depending on the state in question, may or may not exist.

Agencies as large as the Michigan State Police and as small as the Grand Forks County [N.D.] Sheriff's Department have received FAA approval to use drones. Most departments use them for missions like search-and-rescue or for photographing a crime scene or an accident site. Read more...

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