OT: The Avalounge (mod warning - No Politics)

[McMetal]

they don't really have the lawful authority to do that outside of an emergency

quadcopters have tiny radar signatures and the country is large

defense against small drones is an interesting field to be in right now

If a foreign power was violating our airspace, it would 100% qualify as an emergency. Even if they just suspected that it was foreign in origin and they didn't know what purpose it served, they would shoot first and ask questions later. The source would be found by spy satellites within 24 hours, and whoever was responsible would be in custody.

It just strains credulity to posit that the USAF would be looking at this, without knowing the source, and shrugging their shoulders at it. And between our civilian and military intelligence services, somebody somewhere would have an inkling of what was going on. The only conclusion left is that they know exactly what's going on, and they're not panicking because it's some kind of classified DOD test.

 

[The Moops]

If a foreign power was violating our airspace, it would 100% qualify as an emergency. Even if they just suspected that it was foreign in origin and they didn't know what purpose it served, they would shoot first and ask questions later. The source would be found by spy satellites within 24 hours, and whoever was responsible would be in custody.

It just strains credulity to posit that the USAF would be looking at this, without knowing the source, and shrugging their shoulders at it. And between our civilian and military intelligence services, somebody somewhere would have an inkling of what was going on. The only conclusion left is that they know exactly what's going on, and they're not panicking because it's some kind of classified DOD test.

So explain the Chinese balloon

 

[expatriatedtexan]

So explain the Chinese balloon

Hanlon's razor?

 

[illegitimate]

If a foreign power was violating our airspace, it would 100% qualify as an emergency. Even if they just suspected that it was foreign in origin and they didn't know what purpose it served, they would shoot first and ask questions later. The source would be found by spy satellites within 24 hours, and whoever was responsible would be in custody.

It just strains credulity to posit that the USAF would be looking at this, without knowing the source, and shrugging their shoulders at it. And between our civilian and military intelligence services, somebody somewhere would have an inkling of what was going on. The only conclusion left is that they know exactly what's going on, and they're not panicking because it's some kind of classified DOD test.

no, the military takes posse comitatus very seriously. not sure what exactly would have to be done by who, but deploying the national guard to respond to an emergency requires the state's governor to request it of the president and that's a lot less legally fraught than the actual air force.

unless it's someone they're already monitoring using a cell phone they know about, spy satellites aren't going to do much either because non-law enforcement surveillance of the US is also a legal minefield.

and when you have shit like the (former*) governor of maryland posting video on twitter of drones hovering over his house demanding that the government act and it's clearly stars:
cnn showing video of venus:
wall street journal showing video of airliners on approach patterns saying that nobody knows what they are but they weren't there before: https://www.wsj.com/tech/personal-tech/new-jersey-drones-mystery-51e7bd26,

my conclusion is: