Obama Responds to White House Drone Security Breach

Obama Responds to White House Drone Security Breach

  • Jan 27, 2015

So, ready for a little drone trivia? Can you name the 8 places in America where drones can NOT be flown? (Answers at the end of article.)

Yesterday, my colleague Matt Holden, associate content editor with Security Today, discussed the two-foot, quad copter drone being found in the middle of the night in a White House tree just after 3 a.m. After the White House going into lockdown, the drone operator stepped forward, trying to convince investigators that this breach of presidential security was an innocent mistake.

President Obama responded to this harmless crash with urgency from India, stating that it’s time the U.S. updates its laws to manage commercial and consumer drones, even though Obama’s own administration has lagged on this issue.

As the civilian use of drones rises and unmanned craft become cheaper, both Congress and the drone industry at-large have pressed for rules and clarification. Even the FAA has been pressed by Congress and was supposed to release proposed rules for small drones by the end of 2014, but this is now dragging into 2015.

For now, the rules for small drones are:

  • Keep them under 400 feet in altitude;
  • Stay 5 miles away from an airport;
  • Always keep the drone in sight of the pilot; and
  • Do not fly in highly-populated areas.

Answers to drone trivia:

  • All of Washington, D.C. – nation’s capital is a permanent no-fly zone.
  • Airports – drones are banned within 5 miles of airports.
  • Stadiums – if it can hold 30,000 or more people, drones are not welcome within 1 mile.
  • Alaska, Montana and Colorado – using drones for hunting in these states is considered cheating.
  • Near military bases – near meaning, don’t even try it.
  • Florida police officers – not allowed to fly drones.
  • National parks – although it makes for awesome pics for your Instagram, drones can harm wildlife and nature.

Update: I just read that the man who crashed the drone at the White House was a still-unidentified, government employee who had been drinking. Apparently the man reported that he had a feeling the drone might have touched White House grounds, but he went home to sleep.

(Image courtesy of Newsweek.com.)

Featured

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

  • Achieving Clear Audio

    In today’s ever-changing world of security and risk management, effective communication via an intercom and door entry communication system is a critical communication tool to keep a facility’s staff, visitors and vendors safe. Read Now

  • Beyond Apps: Access Control for Today’s Residents

    The modern resident lives in an app-saturated world. From banking to grocery delivery, fitness tracking to ridesharing, nearly every service demands another download. But when it comes to accessing the place you live, most people do not want to clutter their phone with yet another app, especially if its only purpose is to open a door. Read Now

  • Survey: 48 Percent of Worshippers Feel Less Safe Attending In-Person Services

    Almost half (48%) of those who attend religious services say they feel less safe attending in-person due to rising acts of violence at places of worship. In fact, 39% report these safety concerns have led them to change how often they attend in-person services, according to new research from Verkada conducted online by The Harris Poll among 1,123 U.S. adults who attend a religious service or event at least once a month. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities