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07 September 2023
<a href="https://www.scd.co.il/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SCD</a>&mdash;a global leader in the development and manufacture of a wide range of cooled and uncooled infrared detectors and high-power laser diodes&mdash;will highlight latest innovative core infrared solutions for a wide range of applications, at DSEI 2023, September 12-15 (Hall 6, Stand 230).
<h5>Revolutionary 24/7 Situational Awareness with SWIFT-EI</h5>
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Introducing the SWIFT-EI, a groundbreaking SWIR detector that seamlessly integrates event-based imaging capabilities, revolutionizing defense and industrial sectors alike. Equipped with advanced FPA level detection capabilities, tactical forces can now detect multiple laser sources, laser-spots, and even identify Hostile Fire Indication (HFI). Its state-of-the-art ROIC imager technology offers two parallel video channels in one sensor - a standard imaging SWIR video channel, and a very high frame event imaging channel.
The SWIFT-EI offers SWIR imaging that supports day and low-light scenarios, enabling 24/7 situational awareness, better atmospheric penetration, and a low-cost SWIR image for tactical applications. Furthermore, its event-based imaging channel provides advanced capabilities, such as laser event spot detections, multi-laser spot LST capabilities, and SWIR event-based imaging, broadening the scope of target detection and classification.
<h5>Persistent Surveillance with the Crane Solution</h5>
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The Crane is the world&rsquo;s first 5-micron, 5 mega-pixel IR detector. This breakthrough product is a game changer in EO/IR applications, offering excellent performance in a small, lightweight, and compact product. The Crane enables unmatched persistent surveillance from a cost-effective tactical platform such as UAVs, drones, and fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft. While overcoming the need for multiple platforms to be deployed, each with its own payload, to cover large areas. Instead, very high resolution can be achieved with just one highly-reliable Crane detector, reducing costs and operational complexity.
<h5>Empowering Tactical EO/IR with Sparrow Solutions</h5>
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The demand for Low SWaP (Size, Weight, and Power) solutions in tactical EO/IR applications is on the rise. Addressing this demand, SCD presents the Sparrow families of solutions. Designed to cater to the evolving needs of hand-held, drone-based, and AFV applications, the Sparrow MWIR video engine family has already been adopted in major programs worldwide. These solutions are redefining tactical systems with their compact, lightweight design, and enhanced functionality.
"In today's dynamic battlefield landscape, characterized by precision, versatility, and real-time situational awareness, SCD's latest innovations are a testament to the company's commitment to technological excellence", says Shai Fishbein, recently appointed VP of Business Development &amp; Marketing of SCD. "The SWIFT-EI, equipped with its revolutionary event-based imaging capabilities, empowers tactical forces with unmatched functionality, as laser source detection, Hostile Fire Indication (HFI), and more, ensuring augmented combat effectiveness. The Crane solution's extraordinary 5-micron, 5-megapixel IR detector expands opportunities to unprecedented persistent surveillance possibilities, enabling cost-effective coverage of expansive areas from a singular platform. Meanwhile, the Sparrow and SWIFT families of solutions cater to the escalating demand for Low SWaP solutions, offering advanced, lightweight, and compact IR imagers for diverse wide distribution tactical applications. These innovations not only fulfill the demands of the modern battlefield but also redefine the potential of infrared technology in defense and beyond."
<h5>About Semi Conductor Devices (SCD)</h5>
Semi Conductor Devices (SCD) develops and manufactures a full spectrum of cooled and uncooled infrared detectors and laser diodes. The company's advanced concepts and cutting-edge technologies have positioned it as one of the world's leading sources of IR detectors. The close relationship between SCD and well-established systems houses around the world ensures that SCD's detectors are produced in accordance with the latest requirements. SCD offers a complete range of off-the-shelf and custom-designed detectors and laser diodes in various configurations. These are typically applied in IR seekers, thermal imagers, smart munitions, night vision systems, machine vision systems, medical applications, laser rangefinders and laser designators. SCD's detectors are designed for the entire IR spectrum &ndash; NIR, SWIR, MWIR, and LWIR.

SCD IR solutions redefining Tactical Defense

Trending News

14 August 2023
It was not a lucky day for accused package thief Lavern Vereen, 31, of DeKalb County, Georgia. The bad luck began when he cased a neighborhood in Fayette County.
Then, after attempting to steal a box from a porch, Vereen dashed away, but caused a minor traffic accident in the process. Not exactly the best way to keep a low profile.
So, Vereen went to ground&mdash;underground&mdash;by hiding in a storm drain to avoid capture. It probably seemed like a good idea at the time.
Unfortunately, the Fayette County, Georgia police were able to track Vereen's desperate flight for freedom by using a drone equipped with a thermal-imaging camera.
Things got worse.
Police dowsed the drain with pepper spray, but Vereen stayed put.
Eventually, a flesh-and-blood "drone" was deployed&mdash;a police dog named Axe was sent into the drain on a tether. When that didn't work, police released Axe from his leash.
That did the trick.
Vereen surrendered and was pulled out of the drain&mdash;with Axe still on the hunt and snapping at his heels.
Vereen, who was already facing multiple charges&mdash;including theft and obstructing an officer&mdash;was booked into the Fayette County Jail, after medics treated him for dog bites and exposure to pepper spray.
Just a cautionary tale about how drones and dogs can turn a porch pirate's day into a quite an unlucky mess.
<h5 class="ssrcss-1q0x1qg-Paragraph e1jhz7w10">Watch</h5>
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Porch Pirates beware: drones may be watching you

20 July 2023
It started with a report on a KIA Soul zooming around the Arrowhead Towne Center in&nbsp;Glendale, Arizona.&nbsp;
Then, things got uglier.
When the person who reported the reckless driving confronted the teenager behind the wheel of the KIA, the driver pulled a gun. Before the car sped away, the caller was able to note that a total of five teenagers were inside the Soul, as well as get the vehicle's license number.
Not surprising, when the police ran the plate, it identified a car that had been stolen earlier that morning. Glendale officers were dispatched immediately, and a patrol SUV unsuccessfully attempted to pull over the KIA Soul.
Then, it was time for the police drone to join the operation.
The drone tracked the car as it continued to be driven recklessly&mdash;ultimately hitting another vehicle. The five teens jumped out of the car and hoofed it, but to little avail. The driver has captured at a nearby restaurant (hiding in the bathroom), and his four accomplices were taken into custody shortly thereafter.
Unfortunately, Glendale's <a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://www.glendaleaz.com/live/city_services/public_safety/police_department/our_community/unmanned_aircraft_system_drone_program" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Unmanned Aircraft System Drone Program</a> is fighting another example of popular tech&mdash;a TikTok trend that teaches people how to steal certain KIA and Hyundai models. The surge in thefts has prompted State and Federal governments to leap into action and consider a recall of millions of "at risk" automobiles. Both KIA and Hyundai updated their security software earlier this year, and in May, the automakers <a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://www.azfamily.com/2023/05/19/kia-hyundai-settle-class-action-lawsuit-after-rash-thefts-due-security-flaw/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">settled a class-action suit</a> related to the increasing threat of theft.
<h5 class="text | article-text">Watch the Drama Unfold</h5>
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Drone tracks down joyriding teens

07 July 2023
The Santa Monica Police Department is deploying a $12,000 drone as a quick-response, emergency "officer."
Speedier than Steve McQueen's iconic 1968 Ford Mustang GT 390 Fastback in the film Bullitt, the drone officer can zip across the town in 2.5 minutes.
The police drone&mdash;which is on call 40 hours each week from a launchpad atop the Santa Monica Public Safety Facility&mdash;has been a member of the force since the SMPD established its drone program six years ago, but its duties were recently upgraded from pure reconnaissance to first responder. In fact, a 911 call placed in the city from 10 am to 8 pm Wednesday through Saturday is likely to be answered by the drone&mdash;which is piloted by a sworn officer who is backed up by a non-sworn "observer" pilot who watches the drone throughout its mission.
As of November 2021, the airborne officer was even given a new official title&mdash;Drone First Reponder (DFR)&mdash;as it can reach an emergency scene before conventional police vehicles get to the location.
&ldquo;The concept is you have something similar to a helicopter, with traditional air support,&rdquo; said Cpt. Saul Rodriguez. &ldquo;The person who operates the drone has the ability to monitor radio calls, and they can hop on calls whenever they feel like, &lsquo;Hey, I think I can answer this with a UAS.' The pilot is able to navigate the drone to where it needs to go.&rdquo;
Not surprisingly, privacy concerns over the program have come up, as a DFR could conceivably be used to monitor private citizens.
&ldquo;We do not use this for random patrolling,&rdquo; said SMPD Officer Peter Lashley, a police drone operator. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t just go up and look for something&mdash;although, in some instances, the drone may be sent out on patrol. Say we had a specific parking structure where we&rsquo;re constantly having vehicle burglaries&mdash;there may be a periodic check. But that&rsquo;s a documented call where I&rsquo;m specifically going to that because of crime trends, calls for service, and whatnot.&rdquo;
In addition, one of the jobs of the non-sworn observer is to offer civilian oversight for the DFR. Furthermore, the FAA has stringent and complex rules for drone programs such as Santa Monica's DFR. (Chula Vista, San Diego, also has had a DFR program since 2018.)
The non-sworn observer has other jobs, as well, in addition to monitoring the drone from the roof of the SMPD facility. The DFR has a battery life of 30 minutes, so the observer must ensure that dozens of batteries are fully charged and ready to be swapped. Typically, the DFR is flown back to base every 25 minutes to have its ebbing batteries replaced with fresh ones. The department maintains enough batteries to keep the DFR airborne for 24 hours in case of an emergency&mdash;although the "patrol rounds" are usually eight-hour shifts.
In practice, the SMPD has discovered that an extremely benefit of the DFR is de-escalation.
"A frantic 911 call from a witness could include misinformation that could put officers as well as suspects in danger," explains Lashley. "The DFR can arrive at a call and assess danger while officers are still en route in patrol vehicles. That way, they&rsquo;ll know the precise location of any suspects and ascertain if there are any weapons, so officers know what situation they&rsquo;re walking into.&nbsp;It allows them to de-escalate, to power down, and approach the situation from hearing a veteran officer giving them information, rather than it coming from a random source.
The SMPD had just such a situation when a 911 reported teenagers waving handguns. Responding to a possible firearms threat is a serious concern for police officers and the public, but the DFR was able to immediately deliver surveillance footage that identified weapons as BB guns. The police response was therefore managed accordingly, given the DFR data, and a possible deadly force situation for the officers heading to the scene was avoided&mdash;although the incident was still approached as a serious threat. (The teens allegedly had tended to point the BB guns at people.)
<img src="https://media.thedroningcompany.com/images/tincy/F2SCwEPRDvo2w6vZtlhFCBLvcTwazehd1hooluCE.png" alt="" width="377" height="263" /> <img src="https://media.thedroningcompany.com/images/tincy/p6AvzdxhWbVj9dgG7ObOISqmBP3wqvSYzRXiLb2a.png" alt="" width="306" height="263" />
In another incident, a potential gun threat was seen to be far-less serious.
The DFR program&mdash;and its drone officer&mdash;has already proven its worth as a public-safety tool, and the Santa Monica Police Department is looking to increase staff and expand operations to seven days a week.
<h5>Learn More</h5>
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Santa Monica Police Department's Drone Officer

How Augmented Reality Heads-Up Displays are Transforming First Response

23 June 2023
<a style="color: #ba372a;" href="https://aeronautics-sys.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Aeronautics Ltd.</a> &mdash; a world leader in designing, developing, and manufacturing comprehensive solutions focused on Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) for the global defense and HLS markets &mdash; is introducing a new paradigm in UAS system performance with the launch of the <a href="https://aeronautics-sys.com/systems/orbiter-5/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Orbiter 5 UAS</a>. This new innovative platform enables MALE mission capabilities in a tactical UAS, delivering a high-performance, multi-mission/multi-payload capabilities, and all in a cost-effective solution.
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The Orbiter 5 provides an extended endurance time of more than 25 hours with multi-mission capabilities, enabled by its capacity to carry payload weight of more than 25kg, including two payloads simultaneously, and implementing advanced AI capabilities. In addition, the platform offers redundancy with a dual avionic system and a dual ignition engine for high degree of safety and ensures mission success. A powerful four strokes engine supplies up to 600W of electrical power for the onboard mission systems, enabling the use of complex payloads for varied ISTAR applications. With an advanced miniature radar, the Orbiter 5 is also the ultimate solution for maritime missions. The UAS platform was designed to enable short mission preparation times with rapid and simple assembly in the field, using only one tool, hence enabling the ability to launch multiple platforms in a matter of minutes for vast area surveillance and terrain dominance.&nbsp; &nbsp;
Operable in harsh weather conditions, the Orbiter 5 features an advanced navigation system and is fully operational in GPS-denied areas.
A highly-transportable vehicle-mounted system enables the Orbiter 5 to operate from anywhere without the need for fixed structures, such as runways, giving the Orbiter 5 system higher survivability than MALE platforms. The system features autonomous flight and recovery modes and has a small logistic footprint. Its low Life Cycle Cost (LCC) compared to other solutions for relevant operational requirements makes the Orbiter 5 extremely cost-effective.
&ldquo;Aeronautics continues to lead the market in unmanned aerial systems solutions and specifically in the tactical arena,&rdquo; says Dan Slasky, President &amp; CEO of Aeronautics Ltd. &ldquo;The result of years of innovative technological and system development at the Aeronautics Group and in response to customer needs, Orbiter 5 offers the mission "sweet spot" for current and future operational requirements. We are proud to say that this system was designed with our customers needs in mind, and has already logged hundreds of flight hours. We are confident that this newest member to the Aeronautics fleet, will provide current and future customer needs worldwide, together with the other members of the Orbiter family of systems."
<h5>Learn More</h5>
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<h5>About the Aeronautics Group</h5>
Established in 1997, Aeronautics is a world leader in designing, developing, and manufacturing Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) for the global defense &amp; HLS markets. Backed by continuous research and development and with proven performance and operability, Aeronautics&rsquo; broad product portfolio includes the expertise of its subsidiaries and offers solutions for a wide range of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions that lead the segment with innovative systems for the modern battlefield

Aeronautics launches Orbiter 5

19 June 2023
Recognizing the unique challenges faced by law enforcement agencies and correctional facilities, <a href="https://draganfly.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Draganfly</a> partnered with <a href="https://www.bluvec.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bluvec</a> to provide drone and counter-drone solutions that enhance public safety and security.
In recent years, the increased accessibility and utilization of drones have given rise to numerous concerns regarding public safety and security. This is where Bluvec Technologies steps in with its innovative counter drone UAV technology. Bluvec&rsquo;s state-of-the-art solutions empower organizations to detect, track, and geolocate unauthorized drones &amp; pilots swiftly and effectively.
At the heart of Bluvec's technology lies its advanced sensor fusion and artificial intelligence systems. By combining data from multiple sensors such as radar, radio frequency (RF) scanners, and visual recognition, Bluvec's counter drone UAV systems can accurately identify and classify drones, distinguishing them from other flying objects. This level of precision ensures that law enforcement agencies can differentiate between harmless drones and those that pose a potential threat.
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<h5>Use Cases in Police and Correctional Facilities</h5>
<ol>
<li>Preventing Illegal Activities: Police departments can leverage Bluvec's technology to detect and mitigate drones used for illegal activities such as smuggling contraband into correctional facilities or conducting unauthorized surveillance. By proactively identifying and neutralizing these drones, law enforcement agencies can protect public safety and maintain the integrity of correctional institutions.</li>
<li>Enhancing Public Safety: Large-scale public events, such as concerts, parades, and sports gatherings, often attract unauthorized drone operations. Bluvec's counter drone systems enable law enforcement agencies to detect and respond swiftly to these intrusions, minimizing potential threats to public safety. With real-time tracking and neutralization capabilities, police can neutralize the rogue drones without compromising the security of the event or the safety of attendees.</li>
<li>Securing Critical Infrastructure: Critical infrastructure, including power plants, airports, and government buildings, is susceptible to unauthorized drone activities that may disrupt operations or compromise security. Bluvec's technology equips security personnel with the tools needed to detect, identify, and neutralize these threats promptly, ensuring the continuous functioning of essential services and protecting sensitive information.</li>
</ol>
<h5>Learn More</h5>
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Draganfly and Bluvec Partner to Assist Law Enforcement

12 June 2023
<a href="http://www.Asiotech.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Asio Technologies</a>, a renowned developer and manufacturer of geospatial position systems and tactical defense solutions, is pleased to announce the successful delivery of dozens of additional NavGuard systems to a prominent US defense technology company, for integration into its drone platforms. This delivery marks another milestone in Asio Technologies' longstanding relationship with the customer, following an extensive evaluation period that included testing the systems on their drones in diverse flight scenarios, both during the day and at night.
<a href="http://www.navigationguard.com%20&nbsp;" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NavGuard</a> is a cutting-edge, jam-proof navigation solution that ensures uninterrupted operations from takeoff to landing for drones and unmanned aerial systems (UAS). By leveraging state-of-the-art machine vision technology, artificial intelligence (AI), advanced optics, and sensor fusion capabilities, NavGuard enables accurate and autonomous GNSS-free navigation, even in environments where the GNSS signal is compromised, jammed, or simply unavailable.
With its real-time optical navigation system, NavGuard enables safe and sustainable 24/7 drone missions under complete GNSS blackout conditions. It offers a reliable and precise positioning solution, allowing drones to navigate with low latency and high accuracy throughout their missions. This capability is particularly crucial for tactical drone applications in defense, homeland security, and infrastructure security sectors, where payload capacity, flight time limitations, and continuous operation under all conditions are critical factors.
David Harel, CEO of Asio Technologies, expressed his gratitude for the continued trust and support from their US customer, stating, "We are delighted to successfully deliver dozens of additional NavGuard systems, further cementing our strong partnership with this esteemed US defense customer. NavGuard's ability to provide accurate positioning in real-time, even in challenging GNSS blackout conditions, ensures operational freedom anytime and anywhere. We remain committed to delivering innovative solutions that continually meet and exceed the evolving needs of our valued customers."
Lior Dvorachek, Sales and Marketing Director at Asio Technologies, added: "This delivery comes after an extensive evaluation period where our systems underwent rigorous testing in diverse flight scenarios. The confidence shown by our customers in choosing NavGuard as their preferred navigation solution is a testament to its proven reliability and effectiveness."
<h5>Learn More</h5>
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About Asio Technologies
Asio Technologies serves the defense and paramilitary markets, specializing in geospatial position systems encompassing navigation, positioning, mission planning, and mission management. Asio Technologies prides itself in holding several innovative registered patents in positioning and north finding.
With a core focus on target acquisition, augmented orientation, mission planning, and a common language for the tactical command level, Asio&rsquo;s solutions are based on actual operational experience ranging from surveillance and reconnaissance to targeting and weapons guidance. Over the years, Asio has built a track record of manufacturing and supplying dozens of combat-proven innovative solutions, according to Mil-specs and ISO standards.
&nbsp;

Asio Technologies ships NavGuard to U.S. defense company

Tactical and Law Enforcement

08 June 2023
By Alex Pachikov
Founded in 2016, Sunflower Labs&rsquo; mission was to build the next-generation autonomous security solution to observe, manage and inspect large outdoor properties. Based on unique, proprietary technology, and key customer insights, the Sunflower Labs Beehive System aims to be the most reliable, fastest to deploy, and easiest to use autonomous security drone on the market.
<img src="https://media.thedroningcompany.com/images/tincy/ehysAUZruMOFTc0ApBsKGJNDRVuPU5rDuxPWBqk0.jpg" alt="" width="574" height="410" />
Watch the interview we recently did with the CEO of Sunflower Labs, Alex Pachikov&nbsp;
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qCEZ-0YXnm8" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> &nbsp; Sunflower Labs is a US corporation, headquartered in California with subsidiary offices in Switzerland and Serbia, with 36 employees across all locations. Sunflower Labs is a privately held company supported by investments from funds such as General Catalyst, Stanley Ventures, Drone Fund and others.&nbsp; Their customers and partners include firms such as ADT Inc, Securitas Group, Swisscom and Swiss Federal Railways as well as specialized security integrators such as Security Central, Security Robotics and others. They also work directly with certain commercial, industrial and private entities. More information is available on our website:&nbsp;<a href="https://sunflower-labs.com/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://sunflower-labs.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1686351120851000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1hU3ORobqlLMId4S26UxJE">https://sunflower-labs.com/</a>
The Sunflower Labs Beehive System has been deployed at nearly 50 different locations, across 8 countries and 4 continents. The system has been operated by a diverse set of users in a wide range of use cases. Some examples of our deployments include: security of storage facilities, factories, distribution centers, communication infrastructure, train depots, and airports.
Check out the video of the live demo of the system in action, deployed over their office in Switzerland right from the show flow at XPONENTIAL in Denver, Colorado:&nbsp;&nbsp;
<iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ajf8JWMGVQA" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> The operators of the Sunflower Labs system received a variety of regulatory approvals, including FAA Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) in US, Specific Operational Risk Assessment (SORA) in Europe, as well as Pre-Defined Risk Assessment (PDRA) for BVLOS operations, night operations, operations over people and moving vehicles, as well as at or near airports.
The Sunflower Labs Beehive System is built for completely autonomous operations, however the current regulations do not yet allow for human-out-of-the-loop operations. Right now the system is considered to&nbsp;be &ldquo;fully/highly automated&rdquo; also known as Automated Flight Rules Level 3 (AFR 3). It is intended to be deployed at remote locations and operated beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) from a central monitoring location. A remote pilot-in-command (RPIC) is required by the current regulations, even though the system is built with robust abnormal and emergency procedures and reactions.
<img src="https://media.thedroningcompany.com/images/tincy/tSWbqHyGR2qW3JDcM65ekFb9U2VfZop3CS8Klhyn.jpg" alt="" width="654" height="480" /> &nbsp; The Sunflower Labs Beehive System integrates with existing security cameras and sensors and allows the deployment to be scheduled or automated based on external triggers and events. The video from the Bee drone can be configured to automatically stream into any modern Video Management System (VMS) that supports RTSP and ONVIF-compatible cameras.
The Sunflower Labs&rsquo; Hive basestation may be connected to either hardwired ethernet, or configured with an optional LTE/5G cellular modem or StarLink satellite router. The drone connects directly to the Hive, using a dedicated, encrypted point-to-point radio connection and is designed to respond safely to any connectivity issues that may occur during flight.
&nbsp;

Sunflower Labs - Security-Focused Drone-in-a-Box Solution

30 May 2023
The Michigan Supreme Court is hearing a case that may resonate across the rest of the country.
The basic question is whether government agencies can use a drone for surveillance without first getting a warrant?&nbsp;
In this case, the dispute at hand involves a zoning-ordinance violation by a Traverse City salvage yard, but the matter could set a precedent for enforcement crews seeking to gather data for other matters.
The civil matter involves Todd and Heather Maxon's salvage yard&mdash;which Long Lake Township suspects is creating a nuisance. A drone was dispatched to take photos around the property to determine whether the Maxons were indeed violating zoning laws.
The couple fought back, arguing that aerial photos violated their constitutional right against unreasonable searches.&nbsp;
"Like every American, I have a right to be secure on my property without being watched by a government drone," stated Todd Maxon.
However, the situation has more than a few active threads...
It all started in 2007, when the government claimed Maxon was illegally storing "junk" on the property, and brought a code enforcement lawsuit against him. Maxon won that suit in 2008, and also received a promise that further zoning-enforcement actions would not be taken based upon "the same facts and circumstances which were revealed during the course of discovery (from the original suit).
However, a new lawsuit filed by the government in 2018, stated the vehicles aren't visible "from any ground-level public vantage point."
The government had also hired a drone pilot to gather enforcement data on alleged code violations, and Maxon's property was photographed three times over a two-year period.
&ldquo;If the government wants to conduct intrusive surveillance like this, the Fourth Amendment requires that it get a warrant,&rdquo; &nbsp;stated lawyer Mike Greenberg of the Institute for Justice. &ldquo;The zoning authority&rsquo;s failure to even try to get one shows their indifference to Michiganders&rsquo; constitutional rights.&rdquo;
However, the Michigan Court of Appeals decided that even if the drone flights violated the Maxons&rsquo; Fourth Amendment rights, the government should still be allowed to use the evidence obtained from the unconstitutional search in court, reasoning that Fourth Amendment protection doesn&rsquo;t apply to investigators hunting for zoning code violations. It also ruled that evidence obtained from drone photography can be used in civil code enforcement proceedings.
Maxon's appeal states the Fourth Amendment applies to all government officials, and if the lower court&rsquo;s decision stands, the government could freely spy on anyone.
&ldquo;This is bigger than just some drones flying over my home,&rdquo; said Maxon. &ldquo;If I&rsquo;m not safe from this kind of surveillance, nobody will be.&rdquo;
The appeal is asking the Michigan Supreme Court to rule that the government indeed violated Maxon&rsquo;s Fourth Amendment rights, and that it can&rsquo;t use illegally obtained data in court.
&ldquo;Americans have a right to be secure in their homes and backyards without being watched by a government drone,&rdquo; said Institute for Justice Senior Attorney Robert Frommer. &ldquo;The difference between a peeping tom and a lawful investigation is a judicially authorized warrant.&rdquo;

Featured News Product NewsSCD IR solutions redefining Tactical Defense

Featured News Trending NewsPorch Pirates beware: drones may be watching you

Featured News Trending NewsDrone tracks down joyriding teens

Featured News Trending NewsSanta Monica Police Department's Drone Officer

Featured News Product NewsHow Augmented Reality Heads-Up Displays are Transforming First Response

Featured News Product NewsAeronautics launches Orbiter 5

Featured News Product NewsDraganfly and Bluvec Partner to Assist Law Enforcement

Featured News Product NewsAsio Technologies ships NavGuard to U.S. defense company

Product News Tactical and Law EnforcementSunflower Labs - Security-Focused Drone-in-a-Box Solution

Featured News Trending NewsMichigan Supreme Court to Rule on "Drone Snooping"

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