Droning On: The Surveillance State Comes to a Backyard Near You The Fourth of July celebrations in many American cities have become a testing ground for an increasingly militarized approach to public safety.
This year, as part of a broader national trend, police and fire departments turned to drone surveillance to catch those shooting off illegal fireworks.
In Sacramento, the move paid off – literally – with a $100,000 fine handed out by the fire department. The deployment of drones in this context raises several red flags.