FAA releases Drone Authorization list: Oklahoma University one of 81 applicants

[Fyrtwuck]

Soon to be seen looking through the windows of the girls dorms.

 

[dennishoddy]

Perhaps using them to do arial surveys of farm lands, moisture content, etc? There are satelites that currently do this, with tractors and combines hooked up to the images, so they know which side of the field to harvest on first to get the minimum moisture content, and make the most money. Maybe a lot of things.

Y'all need to come out to the GOOFS(good old okie flying society) field on weedends around Ponca on weekends and see all of the drone pilots in training with 1/4 scale planes and helo's. Its scary I'll tell you! Its not even secret any more!!

 

[Raoul Duke]

You all win, public transparency and accountability are such crazy, paranoid, ideas.

You've convinced me that I should just trust that whatever is going on because it will probably just make us safer and will be for a good use, so much so, that I think I'll call my congressmen and tell them to support expanded universal background checks and firearms registry. After all, shouldn't we just trust that this too will just make us all safer, help us learn more and will only be put to good uses?

 

[jstaylor62]

The University of Oklahoma does have a degree program in Aviation and there are three Air Force Bases in the state, so its great to see they are embracing the Defense Industry and not pushing them away like so many of the more liberal institutions of higher education. OU has been involved with the FAA for years. About 15 years ago they were involved in testing computer controlled approaches for aircraft. The pilot would take over as they got over the end of the runaway and make the actual landing though.

 

[rlongnt]

It isn’t like OU owns Max Westheimer airport, has multiple aviation degree programs or anything like that. Oh wait… THEY DO!!

 

[CoachR64]

I think Raoul makes a good point. He is not questioning the useful and legal purposes of drones and OU using them for such. He is simply asking them to show what they will be used for. If I write a grant for iPads in my classroom, I have to justify how they will be used, who benefits from the use, and what those benefits are. I don't think it's a bad thing to ask for that from OU as well. Chances are, it has already been done when applying for the money. Just release the info. There has been a lot of talk about drones lately and many people do not know all of the uses. Would be a great opportunity for the university to remain transparent while educating the public.

 

[SoonerP226]

Being that OU receives public funding they should be justifying this expenditure by specifically identifying the necessity of it, including the purposes it will and will not be used for.

Your remark seems to suggest that it's somehow paranoid or someone is a tin foil hat type to question why and how our tax dollars are spent. It's that kind of thinking and ridicule of asking for answers to legitimate questions that enables government waste, fraud and abuse.

Why do you ASSUME that "tax dollars" are being spent on this project? The State of Oklahoma is actually a minority funder of OU (IIRC, they provide about 40% of OU's annual budget), and projects of this sort are usually funded with private money. (Also, every dollar spent at OU, be it from public or private sources, is audited--we have a department of Internal Auditing that does nothing but make sure that our accounting is in order.)

I can think of plenty of reasons that OU would request permission to fly drones:
1. Weather research.
2. Research for the Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering program.
3. Crowd control on game days (you know, when there are suddenly ~100,000 people on campus).
4. Surveying OU's not insubstantial properties.
5. Facilities maintenance (see #4).
6. Research at OU's research stations around the state.

 

[CoachR64]

Those are all great and valid reasons. I don't think it is unreasonable for the school to layout how they are being used. It educates the public in the face of media coverage over armed drones, which is what many people will assume when they hear the word drone. It also keeps things transparent. I have no doubt they are being used for sound research and purposes. Would just be nice to know what they are as they are a public university.

 

[71buickfreak]

http://now.msn.com/christopher-dorner-is-first-drone-target-on-us-soil

It just got real people.

Where in the hell is RedDog when we need him!

 

[indi]

I can see how a drone would be a helpful tool for a man hunt, but if a missle is shot out of that drone, its time for a revolution!!!!