Posted By David Kenner Share

 

Foreign Policy's new War Issue shows how drones have transformed the war against the Taliban and fueled President Barack Obama's counterterrorism strategy. But it's not only the cutting-edge technology that's evolving -- the tools to build a basic drone are now available to those of us who will never set foot in CIA headquarters.

Stanford University professor Francis Fukuyama, who is better known for airy political science theories such as "the end of history," has spent the past few months building his very own unmanned aerial vehicle. As he described in a blog post over at the American Interest, it is a "quadcopter" -- a helicopter with four rotors - and is equipped with a Sony flip video camera. Fukuyama has uploaded two videos filmed from his drone: The one above shows it hovering over a baseball field near Stanford and is accompanied by music from the a cappella group the Swingle Singers.

In an article for the Financial Times, Fukuyama says he was inspired to build a drone by the prospect that it would provide a new dimension to his photography. But since then, his project has taken on a life of its own as he seeks to push the limits of what's possible in the world of do-it-yourself unmanned aerial vehicles.

But the nefarious uses of this new technology don't fail to escape Fukuyama: Do we really want to live in a world, he asks, where private individuals have access to the destructive power of drones? "As the technology becomes cheaper and more commercially available, moreover, drones may become harder to trace; without knowing their provenance, deterrence breaks down," he writes. "A world in which people can be routinely and anonymously targeted by unseen enemies is not pleasant to contemplate."

 

HAROON BUTT

4:01 PM ET

March 4, 2012

good

The guest list at this week’s military-focused state dinner – the first formal fete for Iraq veterans since hostilities there ended late last year – included top military commanders, war heroes, and a major from Nevada’s Creech Air Force Base.
Former Creech Officer To Be Honored At White House Dinner
WASHINGTON - Maj. Erik J. Jacobson, who was stationed at Creech Air Force Base until this month, has been invited to a White House dinner next week to recognize military members who served in Iraq , the Pentagon announced Friday. Jacobson, 35, completed
Air Force sergeant retiring for civilian post
Joliet’s U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Richard H. Brower is retiring after serving 16 years of active duty service. Brower has landed a civilian job as an armed security guard for Chenega Corp at Eielson Air Force Base near Fairbanks, Alaska. A trained sniper, Brower served a tour in Iraq , where his unit’s mission was to help rebuild Iraq in 2008.Throughout his military career, he has been assigned ...
Drone pilots: Why war is also hard for remote soldiers
Drone pilots are far from the battlefield, but they show some of the same signs of stress as do soldiers fighting on the ground. Now a movement in the military is afoot to assist these techno-warriors.
Behind-the-scenes pilots
Journalists came from Australia, Great Britain, the Netherlands and The New York Times to Holloman Air Force Base's RPA media day last week to get the goods on remotely piloted aircraft training at the base.
Top Ten Things to Do With Your Own Drone
I rarely do list posts, but occasionally, I stumble upon an interesting topic that I cannot approach any other way. The topic that has been interesting me lately is DIY drones. Political scientist Francis Fukuyama is building one. Patron of guerrillas worldwide, John Robb, is encouraging everybody to build one before the government bans them. ...
Southern Nevada Losing $3 Million In Fema Funds
Southern Nevada officials on Friday learned the region will lose about $3 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency grant funds this year, a 60 percent cut from fiscal 2011. The funding is related to the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA's
11 ways Obama's 2013 budget could affect Nevadans
President Barack Obama unveiled a budget proposal Monday for fiscal 2013 that puts in black and white what we’ve been hearing from him for months: invest in America, and help pay for the investment by making the rich “contribute their fair share.”
Iowa man deported from Bahrain speaks in Iowa City against United States drones
Exactly one week ago, Brian Terrell was sitting in a police station in Bahrain, awaiting deportation for his participation in a nonviolent demonstration. On Wednesday night, the Maloy, Iowa resident spoke to more than 40 people at the Iowa City Public Library, 123 S. Linn St., about his experience and his opposition to the United States’ [...]
Iowa Man Deported From Bahrain After Protest, Speaks In Iowa City
Brian Terrell, of Maloy, speaks at the Iowa City Public Library in opposition of U.S. drone use Wednesday, February 22, 2012. Terrell, an activist, was arrested in deported from Bahrain last week after he participated in a nonviolent protest.
great blog post. i like it a lot.
propaclean is the best cleaning services in london and we have been providing our services
from many years.we are providing our service in residential and commercial properties
of London and other places of London. If you need any cleaning services work then feel
free to contact us at Tel: 0845 634 1101 or AFTER office HOURS: 07950 743 855

Thank you

cleaning services london

 

MAXIMB

12:50 PM ET

March 19, 2012

The media's goal is attention

The media's goal is attention focusing to get the majority of citizens to rely on and believe they and only they should disseminate information for all citizens. This goal is supported by advertising and of course the decision that a free press makes for a free society. The problem in granting the media / press this responsibility is that it relieves the government of its responsibility to do this very function. It also allows the various government agencies to deny information and or to deny knowledge. Both pressures citizens to accept the media / press as the only source for this role..

"Is rio orange war always sans engagement inevitable ?"
MaximB

 

MAXIMB

10:02 PM ET

March 22, 2012

I would describe him as

I would describe him as "present". It's how he voted in the senate and all thru his "career" He never takes a stand on anything really..

"Is rio orange war always forfait mobile inevitable ?"
MaximB

 

Passport, FP’s flagship blog, brings you news and hidden angles on the biggest stories of the day, as well as insights and under-the-radar gems from around the world.

Read More