July 20, 2012 04:39pm ETRise of Drones Poses Dangers for US Homeland Unmanned Aerial Systems Game Changer A U.S. Customs and Border Protection unmanned aircraft arrives in Corpus Christi, Texas to prepare for surveillance flights over areas damaged by Hurricane Ike in 2010. Credit: U.S. Customs and Border Protection View full size image

Who watches the watchers circling overhead in U.S. skies? A congressional hearing on the possible risks of domestic drones lamented the absence of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and its failure to step up to take responsibility.

Homeland Security officials told Congress that their duties don't cover the domestic use of drones in the U.S., according to U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, a Republican from Texas and chairman of the subcommittee hearing of the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security. But McCaul worried that the agency was "reverting back to a pre-9/11 mindset" with a "lack of imagination in identifying threats."

"It should not take a 9/11 style attack by a terrorist organization such as Hezbollah or a lone wolf- inspired event to cause DHS (Department of Homeland Security) to develop guidance addressing the security implications of domestic drones," McCaul said in his opening remarks on July 19.

Today's usage of drones in the U.S. remains limited to the law enforcement, border patrol, firefighting and weather or scientific research. But the Federal Aviation Administration plans to allow non-government drones to fly nationwide by 2015, starting with the selection of six test sites this year.

Taking control

News headlines have highlighted several drone-related threats and security issues. A man who plotted to attack the U.S. Capitol and Pentagon with remote-controlled aircraft agreed to plead guilty last week. Hacked drones pose a different danger, as U.S. researchers showed how they could take control of a remote-controlled helicopter during a GPS "spoofing" test in June.

Non-recreational drones over 18 pounds should require "spoof-resistant" GPS or other navigation systems to foil hackers, said Todd Humphreys, engineer at the University of Texas at Austin. He testified during the congressional hearing as one of the researchers who carried out the June hacking demonstration.

To counter hacking threats, Humphreys recommended that the Department of Homeland Security fund creation of an authentication signature for civilian GPS signals.

The Government Accountability Office previously suggested that the Transportation Security Administration look at the security risks of future civilian drones. Nobody has followed up on that recommendation, said Gerald L. Dillingham, director of physical infrastructure issues for the GAO.

Protecting privacy

A different but equally important issue comes from ensuring people's privacy in the midst of domestic drone swarms. But no federal agency currently has specific responsibility over such drone-related privacy matters, Dillingham said.

Drones present a new threat to the privacy of U.S. citizens because they can provide cheaper, more extensive surveillance over longer periods, said Amie Stepanovich, association litigation counsel for the Electronic Privacy Information Center, during her testimony about privacy risks. [Laser Could Keep Military Drone Flying Forever]

"Drones could be deployed to monitor individuals in a way that was not possible previously," Stepanovich said.

Stepanovich advised the Department of Homeland Security to make more information publicly available about its own large drone fleet. She also recommended that Congress pass new laws regulating domestic drone use.

Uncertain future

Even William McDaniel, chief deputy of the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office in Conroe, Texas, suggested that the Department of Homeland Security step up to coordinate federal oversight of drone activities and local law enforcement's use of drones.

But any responses from the Department of Homeland Security would have to wait another day.

"We are disappointed DHS declined to testify today," McCaul said. "This is simply another example of how DHS leadership is failing to get ahead of the curve on an issue which directly impacts the security of the United States."

This story was provided by InnovationNewsDaily, a sister site to LiveScience. Follow InnovationNewsDaily on Twitter @News_Innovation, or on Facebook.

无人机的崛起可能会危及美国国土安全

Rise姿势危险为美国国土无人航空系统游戏Changer 一位美国海关和边境保护无人驾驶飞机抵达科珀斯克里斯蒂，德州为侦察飞行准备??在飓风艾克在2010年受损区域

谁手表在美国的天空盘旋的观察？国内无人机可能出现的风险国会听证会感叹没有国土安全部，美国能源部和它的失败加紧承担责任.

国土安全部的官员告诉国会，他们的职责不包括在国内使用无人驾驶飞机在美国，根据美国众议员迈克尔麦克考尔，来自德克萨斯州共和党和美国众议院国土安全委员会的小组委员会听证会的主席。但麦克考尔担心，该机构＆QUOT;回复到前9月11日的心态和QUOT;与A＆QUOT;缺乏想象力的识别威胁和QUOT;

＆QUOT;它不应该采取一个恐怖组织，如真主党或一个孤独的wolf-激发事件911类型的攻击引起美国国土安全部（国土安全部）制定指导解决国内无人驾驶飞机的安全问题，与QUOT;麦克考尔在开场白中说，7月19日.

今天在美国无人驾驶飞机的使用仍然有限，以执法，边境巡逻，消防，气象，科研。但美国联邦航空管理局计划将允许非政府无人机在全国范围内飞行，到2015年，这一年.

以控制

新闻标题都强调了几个无人机相关的威胁和安全问题开始了六个考点的选择。一个人谁策划攻击美国国会和五角大楼遥控飞机同意认罪的最后一周。黑客攻击无人机构成了不同的危险，因为美国的研究人员展示了如何他们一个GPS＆QUOT期间采取遥控直升机的控制;欺骗＆QUOT;测试在六月.

非休闲无人驾驶飞机在18磅应要求与QUOT;恶搞性＆QUOT; GPS或其他导航系统，以挫败黑客，托德说汉弗莱斯，工程师在得克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校。他在国会听证会上的谁进行了六月黑客示范研究人员之一期间作证.

为了对付黑客的威胁，堪建议国土安全部基金设立认证签名的民用GPS信号.

政府问责办公室先前建议，运输安全管理局看看未来民用无人机的安全隐患。没有人跟进这一建议，杰拉德说L.迪灵汉，物质基础设施问题的高主任.

保护隐私

A不同，但同样重要的问题来自于确保国内无人机群之中的人的隐私。但是，没有联邦机构目前对此类无人机有关隐私问题的具体责任，迪灵汉说.

无人机提出了一种新的威胁，以美国公民的隐私，因为他们能够提供更长期更便宜，更广泛的监督，说艾米·斯捷潘诺维奇，协会诉讼律师在电子隐私信息中心，在她的证词对隐私的风险。 [激光能保持军事无人机飞行永远Laser Could Keep Military Drone Flying Forever斯捷潘诺维奇说.

斯捷潘建议国土安全部，使更多的信息公开的有关自己的大型无人机机队。她还建议国会通过调节国内无人机采用新的法律.

不确定的未来

即便是威廉·麦克丹尼尔，蒙哥马利县警长的Conroe处理器，德州办事处的副总，建议国土安全部加强协调联邦监管无人驾驶飞机的活动和地方执法的使用无人驾驶飞机.

的

但是，从美国国土安全部的任何答复将不得不等待另一天.

u0026 QUOT;我们感到失望的美国国土安全部拒绝作证的今天，＆QUOT;麦克考尔说。 ＆QUOT;这简直是如何国土安全部的领导未能获得领先的曲线，对一个问题的另一个例子，直接影响美国的安全与QUOT;