Mini-choppers to fight crime

[postman]

QUEENSLAND police may finally get the helicopter they've been dreaming of – except it's in miniature.

The Sunday Mail has learned that police have approached Queensland University of Technology researchers about the use of remote-controlled choppers and planes to fight crime.

 

Systems for both the plane and helicopters are being developed at QUT, while CSIRO is working on test flights for the mini-choppers at Pullenvale in Brisbane.

 

"They are pretty impressive when you see them in flight," said CSIRO researcher Stefan Hrabar.

 

QUT aviation expert Associate Professor Rod Walker has confirmed talks with police took place last year.

 

The university has also extended invitations to every police commissioner in the country to attend a conference on the issue next month.

 

"They are very interested, and we are only a couple of years away from seeing these things in the skies of Brisbane," Prof Walker said.

 

The miniature planes and helicopters could be used for police pursuits and other surveillance operations.

 

"They have a camera on board so that you can track a car or someone running away, and an infra-red sensor that can detect people at night.

 

"We've had a number of discussions with the police, and got quite specific on some of the projects that they are interested in."

 

Pilotless planes fitted with cameras and infra-red sensors are already used by the military in Queensland for border control surveillance, and are in use in Iraq and other war zones throughout the world.

 

Prof Walker said Brisbane was likely to be the first city in the world to see the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles used by police in urban areas, because Australia had less stringent aviation laws than other Western countries.

 

"Police are also interested in using them up north to look for marijuana crops," he said.

 

It costs up to $4000 an hour to run a manned helicopter, and about $300 an hour to run a single-seater plane.

 

To buy just one police helicopter has been estimated to cost $3 million, and then $1 million every year to keep in the sky but UAVs are expected to cost only about $100 an hour to run.

 

Non-police applications envisaged are bushfire detection, traffic management, powerline maintenance, crop-spraying and shark-spotting on beaches.

 

"What history has shown us is that the civilian world catches on to what the military are using, and that is what is going to happen here," Prof Walker said.

 

A police spokesman said the service was interested in any technology that could "assist with the delivery of effective policing services".

 

http://www.news.com.au/sundaymail/story/0,...23-3102,00.html

[SukonmiSkunk]

they've been using these for years in sports like downhill skiing.. mountain biking and shit.. shame the pigs are going to take an invention.. probably invented by a stoner.. and turn it against us...

 

shame shame shame...

 

and hasn't the CSIRO got better things to be researching than remote controlled toys??? like a cure for god damn cancer for instance.... seems a blatant disregard for taxpayers dollars.. as fuckin usual...

[Frazz]

.. ok, well there must be a way of shooting the little fuckers down, or jamming thier controls or even take over control of one and fly it right up Police commissioners arse

 

state watching over citizens .. who watches the watchers

[bufo marinus]

Gee postman(EDIT) you sure find the stories that push peoples buttons.

and hasn't the CSIRO got better things to be researching than remote controlled toys??? like a cure for god damn cancer for instance.... seems a blatant disregard for taxpayers dollars.. as fuckin usual...

You'd think so wouldn't you?? Once again the lazy fucks take the easy path. How about fixing our water problems first too.

well there must be a way of shooting the little fuckers down, or jamming thier controls or even take over control of one and fly it right up Police commissioners arse

Just what I was thinking and probably 90% of people ! Damn I'd pay $100 to see one blasted out of the sky just for a laugh.

Fuckin Beattie and his smart state. I can't pick much difference between him and Joh anymore. Fuckin turncoat

Edited January 14, 2007 by bufo marinus

[Jess Stone]

You read a story like this and you know where its going and the fuckwits NEVER EVER disappoint you.

[Indycar]

Good old QPS aye, fighting real crime once again. They'll mostly likely be used 100% of the time for surveillance. As they'll be pretty useless for pursuits as you lose that ability of being an onboard pilot where you can look around. Let alone the boys on the ground trying to follow something so small in the sky. Fairly obvious to what they plan to use them for.

 

While the tossers are playin around with toys, all these sex attacks are happening in Brisvegas parks. Champion effort QPS, can rely on you guys for not fighting real crime.

 

Cheers for the heads up postie.

 

[Jess Stone]

Maybe growers should take up model plane flying as a hobby,build yourself a model of a Japanese Mitsubishi Zero and kamekazi it into these copper model planes !

[bufo marinus]

Hey Jess, growers need an outfit like that dude in your avatar! and a golf club

 

 

Edit; that's not you is it? hehe

Edited January 14, 2007 by bufo marinus

[postman]

Google Earth will be the governments best weapon in the future.

[DownUnderDoper]

Agreed Postman

 

I've only just started playing with Google earth in the last few days.. and yeah.. makes you wonder if there isn't satellites that could ID a few plants in the backyard already.

 

I'm sure we've all heard the urban legends, seen the movies.. but reality is obviously closer than we'd like to think

 

gonna go get my alfoil hat now