District Officials now using Drones in Pattaya crime suppression operations

[Jonathan Fairfield]

District Officials now using Drones in Pattaya crime suppression operations

PATTAYA:-- Banglamung District Officials have announced they are now using drones to gather evidence and catch those trying to escape from them when they conduct crime suppression operations in Pattaya.

A demonstration of how the drones are now being used was witnessed by the gathered media on Wednesday when a drone was used to gather evidence of drug users in a village located in the Huay Yai area. The drone was also used to indicate possible escape routes for suspects and would have been used to follow any who may have attempted to escape. In this case 6 suspected class 1 drug users were caught without incident.

The drones are now expected to be used in operations such as detecting gambling events and ensuring that everyone in attendance can be arrested regardless of whether they try to escape or not.

Full story: http://pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/220089/district-officials-now-using-drones-in-pattaya-crime-suppression-operations/

-- Pattaya One 2015-12-24

[bendejo]

Great idea! What could possibly go wrong?

[RIJoe]

Ask the downhill skiers what could go wrong. According to USAToday, a drone crashed and barely missed one of the participants. Drones have been banned from future events.

[jacko45k]

Great idea! What could possibly go wrong?

Haha yes, the novelty will wear off and maintenance will be an issue. Akin to those security cameras that never seem to be working when you need them.

[X pat]

If you have read the new FAA rules in America you will know that in order to fly one you will need to get a pilot's licence. Maby they need to think about doing that here.

[SOTIRIOS]

...I see a whole team there...

....how many officers does it take to fly 1 drone....

...is it efficient.....

[TheKnave]

In a related story, slingshot sales to dodgy characters are up 1000%...

[canman]

Great idea! What could possibly go wrong?

Exactly

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/12/23/sport/marcel-hirscher-drone-crash/

[LennyW]

Ha ha, gambling events and drug dealing, they will be very busy in Huay Yai for sure......spying on the Huay Yai police lol!!

[Emster23]

"using drones to gather evidence and catch those trying to escape from them"

Seems escape from them implies some sort of chase is taking place, ya think? Sorry if cynical, but I see this as just more ways to skim some cream and remain sitting in the offices. Are police members of secret religion that does not allow them to go on patrols?

[bendejo]

The drones are now expected to be used in operations such as detecting gambling events and ensuring that everyone in attendance can be arrested regardless of whether they try to escape or not.

Maybe it's just my reading of this, but is there the possibility of multiple drones being used in a single operation? Pursuit drones? This is going to be fun.

I don't know much about RF technology, how easy would it be for a commercial (as opposed to custom-configured) drone to be hijacked?

But then there is a matter of video evidence, and after the tea money is collected the evidence will have to be destroyed. "Too dark for picture." "Memory card no good." Many more just-as-good excuses to follow.

[WhizBang]

The drones are now expected to be used in operations such as detecting gambling events and ensuring that everyone in attendance can be arrested regardless of whether they try to escape or not.

Maybe it's just my reading of this, but is there the possibility of multiple drones being used in a single operation? Pursuit drones? This is going to be fun.

I don't know much about RF technology, how easy would it be for a commercial (as opposed to custom-configured) drone to be hijacked?

<snip>

Not sure about hijacking a drone, but jamming one would probably be easier.

[TheKnave]

If you have read the new FAA rules in America you will know that in order to fly one you will need to get a pilot's licence. Maby they need to think about doing that here.

Close, but no cigar. You just need to obtain a registration number for the craft. No pilot's license required...

[WhizBang]

If you have read the new FAA rules in America you will know that in order to fly one you will need to get a pilot's licence. Maby they need to think about doing that here.

Close, but no cigar. You just need to obtain a registration number for the craft. No pilot's license required...

I thought it was the drone operator must be registered/licensed and commercial drones must also be registered. Non commercial (ie: hobby) drones did not need to be registered, but the drone operator did.

[TheKnave]

If you have read the new FAA rules in America you will know that in order to fly one you will need to get a pilot's licence. Maby they need to think about doing that here.

Close, but no cigar. You just need to obtain a registration number for the craft. No pilot's license required...

I thought it was the drone operator must be registered/licensed and commercial drones must also be registered. Non commercial (ie: hobby) drones did not need to be registered, but the drone operator did.

It's kind of like registering the owner, in that the registration number can be used for any/all of the owner's craft. But no training or pilot qualifications required. They just want to be able to identify the owner, in case of a mishap or illegal use.

Sensible, I guess. All things, once popularized, get attention from the authorities.

About 10 years ago, before quadracopters (now referred to as 'drones' in the media), I bought a small drill press from an American guy out in Bangna. His biz was building video control boxes for model helicopters, and using them to make flyover videos of golf courses for promotional purposes.

He made a good living.

Wish I had thought of it.

[Gsxrnz]

Knowing the propensity for sticky fingers when it comes to Thai officials, they probably got a multi million baht budget approved and then bought the 2,000 baht versions from a dodgy Cambodian street vendor on Beach Road.

[philipines]

If you have read the new FAA rules in America you will know that in order to fly one you will need to get a pilot's licence.

But isn't some sort of pilots license always required to show competency prior to flying some aircraft? And, why would such a license be required only to OPERATE a drone, which means no human is on-board it anyway? If no human is on-board, why should a licensed pilot be required?

[SidJames]

I thought the junta banned drone use by the general public when they took over?

[balo]

Just watch your head we could expect a a drone attack pretty soon.