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An industry group that advocates on behalf of drone manufacturers, representing over 7,000 members in 55 countries, issued a voluntary code of conduct earlier this week and urged its members to abide by it. The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International says the self-imposed code will, “address many of the concerns expressed by the public and regulators” by providing a list of rules the association calls a “convenient checklist” for those who design, test, and operate unmanned aircraft systems to follow. Included are pledges to “respect the privacy of individuals” and “be responsive to the needs of the public.” Reporting on the move in Slate.com Ryan Gallagher called it a “public relations stunt” meant to quell growing unease with plans for drones to begin patrolling US skies.

Unmanned aerial vehicles, better known as drones, and commonly thought to be unique weapons of war, may soon be used as part of an already dense network of daily surveillance occurring without the consent of most Americans. In a recent article titled, The Specter of Domestic Drones, Simone Richmond details who is fighting for, and against, the increased use of the controversial UAVs. She writes that drones have been quietly used by the Department of Homeland security to patrol the US Mexico boarder since 2005, and earlier this year Congress gave the Federal Aviation Administration the power to fast track the integration of drones into national air space. Richmond found that cash-strapped local police forces are looking to drones as a cheap alternative to helicopters. A manned aircraft can cost upwards of $600 an hour while a drone, operated from the personnel on the ground, can cost as little at $3.36 an hour. She finds that plans for the wide use of drones in the US fit into the Clinton era “Joint Vision 2020? defense policy and the expansion is being supported by highly influential defense companies like Northrup Grumman, which is a member of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems.

GUEST: Simone Richmond, Independent Journalist, whose article, The Specter of Domestic Drones appeared at WagingNonViolence.org

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