By Scott Miller~Argenta News
Soon Big Brother will be watching over Argenta and other parts of North Little Rock. The NLRPD has been testing it’s $80,000 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) helicopter out near Remington Arms east of the City. Currently NLR is the only city in the country with an FAA permit for doing this testing and the current permit does not allow for testing over urban areas. The NLRPD is training eight officers to operate the UAV on a part time basis, in addition to their regular duties.
Click on the Read More button to learn when this will be over your house
The NLRPD has very nearly 40 hours of training time with the helicopter and according to police sources, the plan is to ask the FAA for an advanced testing permit over urban areas once they reach 50 hours of training. Reportedly, the FAA grants these permits for only very specific area and the entire City cannot be included in the permit. The current NLRPD plan is to ask for a permit with a base of operation at the Old Baptist Hospital site next to the VA with a one mile operating radius. This will cover Argenta, Baring Cross, parts of Levy, HOLT, Mid Cities, Park Hill Dark Hollow, Amboy, Bellwood and Burns Park.
The UAV is a model SR30 manufactured by Rotomotion with in line high power optical zoom and infrared zoom cameras. The helicopter is not small, weigning over forty pounds with a six foot main rotor blade diameter. It can stay aloft for 45 minutes. The UAV has several safety features including a 45 minute reserve fuel tank and the ability to return home to the launching point automatically if it loses contact with the ground controllers. According to the NLRPD they plan to use the helicopter in barricade situations and crowd monitoring for large events.
It may take months for the FAA to approve the advanced testing permit, but if you hear the whine of 26cc weed whacker engine overhead, look up and wave. Big Brother is watching.
No comments:
Post a Comment