Celebrities May Soon Have Even Fewer Places To Hide

Remember that big splash that was made recently about the small "Parrot" VTOL UAV which can be controlled by an iPhone? Well celebrity photographers, commonly known as "paparazzi", are eying that aircraft and others as camera platforms to secretly spy on Hollywood celebs.

Parrot UAV YouTube Frame Capture

Splash News is reportedly particularly interested in the technology, which has not yet been approved by the FAA for flight in U.S. airspace. But the Wall Street Journal reports one celebrity photo executive said the personal UAVs equipped with cameras could potentially put a real damper on the outdoor celebrity birthday party business.

The stealth characteristics of the aircraft are particularly attractive to the photographers. A small, electric UAV controlled by an iPhone or other handheld device could easily sneak up on unsuspecting celebrities, take photos, and fly away without being detected. The paper reports there is also interest from the Private Investigation industry, where a PI could use the UAV to track a spouse suspected of having an affair, for example.

The FAA is still working on rules for UAV operation in U.S. airspace, but the WSJ reports that development of the technology is proceeding rapidly. One competition being held by DIY Drone hopes to see competitors walking a mile while being tracked by an autonomous UAV. That task is seen as "trivial" by the owner of the DIY Drone website.

So far, the biggest hurdle to overcome seems to be battery life. The best can only stay aloft for about 30 minutes. As to the FAA, one lawyer said getting around the rules could be as simple as claiming the aircraft were for "personal use."

FMI: www.diydrones.com