By Steve Ranger, 18 July 2006 12:00
NEWS
The government is spending £16m on the development of robot aircraft that could be used by the police for surveillance.
The government said that development of unmanned craft could "revolutionise" police and fire service surveillance, or power and pipeline inspections, which currently rely on manned aircraft.
In the future these tasks could be carried out by unmanned aircraft with the technology to sense and avoid other objects.
The investment forms part of the £32m Astraea (Autonomous Systems Technology Related Airborne Evaluation and Assessment) programme.
The project will develop existing technology, regulations, systems and procedures, with the aim of bringing unmanned vehicles into routine operation in UK airspace.
In addition to receiving £5m from the Department for Trade and Industry, Astraea has also received £11m funding from regional development agencies and the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales.
Trade and Industry Secretary Alistair Darling said the Astraea project will position the UK among the leaders in unmanned aerial vehicle technology, while Simon Jewell, chairman of the steering board for the Astraea consortium, said it will open up a "new era of aerospace".
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1. Karen Challinor
Much cheaper, more reliable, and less dangerour than using and paying for a proper aircraft with a human pilot ... until one lands on a house or flies into a block of flats ?
After all it won't need sleep or rest or training, it won't strike for better pay or complain about the conditions. It will just go on and on until it fails probably catastrophically because maintenance will be minimal as well.
These things were developed by the military for use in situations where a pilot may lose their life by being shot down, and well if it crashes in enemy territory it's possibly a few less enemy to worry about isn't it, so what is the equivalent rationale for their use in civilian areas on the UK mainland ?
Once again the human beings and their judgement are taken out of the loop by the politicians who want blind obedience regardless of the cost