Cameras in the skies over your neighborhood- Law enforcement granted permission to use DRONES on US citizens

According to Bloomberg:

Public safety agencies will be able to operate unmanned aircraft with fewer restrictions, in the first changes in U.S. regulations that Congress ordered to broaden domestic use of non-military drones.

Police, fire and similar departments will be able to fly drones weighing as much as 25 pounds (11.3 kilos) without applying for special approvals needed under previous regulations, the Federal Aviation Administration said today in a statement on its website.

Today’s step is an interim one until the FAA completes rules to allow small drones for commercial purposes, Ben Gielow, government relations manager for the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, said in a phone interview. Congress ordered the FAA to complete those rules within two years. A proposed regulation is due this year.

“The FAA’s sole mission and authority as it focuses on the integration of unmanned aircraft systems is safety,” the FAA said.

Congress is encouraging more U.S. drone flights under a law that became final on Feb. 14, with the goal of adapting technology used by the military in Iraq and Afghanistan. The law also requires the FAA to name six test sites by June and integrate drones into the U.S. aviation system by 2015.

The rule announced today calls for agencies to first show they can operate a drone before getting an FAA permit. Drones must fly within 400 feet (122 meters) of the ground, remain in sight of the operator and stay clear of airports, the FAA said.