A recent episode is raising concerns about the issue of personal drones and the protection of privacy.

As reported in this article from the Washington Times, while some protestors were manifesting outside her house, US Senator Dianne Feinstein spotted a drone, right outside her window, staring a her. We see how this must have been a terrifying experience.

“I went to the window to peek out and see who was there, and there was a drone right there at the window, looking out at me” the senator said.

For a specialized blog such as Personal Drones, it is of interest to ascertain which kind of drone was used to spy on Senator Feinstein’s privacy.

Was it a predator drone?

Or maybe an octocopter equipped with a big camera?

Well, not really. As it turns out, here is the bad guy, the infamous Pink Patrol: Lady Sky Invaders model. Equipped with the latest privacy-invasion technologies, it can be purchased online for 17,85 USD.

As a consequence of this scary episode, that indeed raises public concerns about personal drones and the possible violation of privacy, “Mrs. Feinstein has called for rules to govern drone use, both for civilians and for the government, citing both the potential benefits and privacy or security pitfalls of using the new technology.” (source)

It is of some relief, though, to hear that the Pink Patrol mission apparently ended with a crash:

“Obviously the pilot of the drone had some surprise because the drone wheeled around and crashed. So I felt a little good about that.” says Sen. Feinstein

Read More

• Daily Beast
• Washington Times

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