Mon, Nov 08, 2010
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."
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