That and you wonder at what point “domestic policing” becomes attaching a Hellfire on the reasoning that sometimes an immedate SWAT type reaction will be needed (even if that is only a rare event). Unfortunately, the history of science and technology is replete with examples of doing something not because it is right or wrong, or even a good idea, but because we can.*

Actually, more of a realistic concern is confliction of air space. To be invisible to people on the ground, most drones are nearly impossible to see from the air. They fly at altitudes used by helos, light private planes, and ultra-lights, which have to depend upon visual identification (and, except ultra -lights, responses to radio queries) to avoid collisions. It can be expected that News Helos are going to be in areas in which the police are interested in enhanced surveillance from the air (like on-going crime scenes). Adding to that air space nearly invisible drones, which do not respond to radio quiries, looks like a really bad idea.

* My personal favorite was the decision by the Imperial German General Staff to use poison gas in WWI. They failed to consider that the prevailing winds were West to East, that Chlorine was heavier than air and would settle into low places (like the deep bunkers used to hide from British and French counter-battery fire), would be readily drawn into the bunkers’ air supply systems which had no or primitive filters, and their own troops had no suitable gas masks or other protection against Chlorine gas. The result is that the German Army likely suffered significantly more casualties than the British or French until suitable air filtration systems, gas masks and protective suits were developed and issued. However, well before then, the Allies decided to retaliate in-kind, but didn’t suffer from the wind usually blowing the gas back into their trenches and bunkers.

When the money in the defendant’s bank account is stolen, it is proper to seize it for restitution to the legitimate owners. But I gather that an increasing number of asset freezes have little to do with bona-fide restitution.

Bob