if your in Cali, look up!

[lvspark]

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/NASA870

[Keith43221]

Sweet! Nice find, I watching that website sometimes and listing to the ATC's from my local airport via itunes.
But at 23,000, good luck seeing it!

[lvspark]

You be looking for this one..
http://varifrank.com/images/ikhana.jpg

[Jack Crossfire]

Guess NASA's government COA is a cut above border patrol's government COA since they can fly those over cities. Individuals & defense contractors R still the lowest life forms on the food chain.

[workshop]

UAV domestic overflights... :eek:

I've been waiting for tacit approval to do whatever the Hindu Kush I want to in national air space and now I have it. :)

Thanks NASA!!! :p

Jeff

[lvspark]

You could'a had it last year :D

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8235886&postcount=1559

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8140203&postcount=1518

[c_matt92]

I personally find this as a great advancement for the interests of everyone that frequents this forum. The more the government can fly successfully over large cities, the more likely we will be able to make the argument that it is safe and should be allowed by private company's.

[lvspark]

The technology is great, but until they get the crash per flight hour numbers down a ways, I would feel much better if this aircraft with 4000lbs of fuel was not flying over my house. Just like you state it may advance the interest of this forum users, a malfunction in the wrong spot could blacken the eye of the industry just as well. If they can avoid flying over or near populated areas, they should.

Edit:
The last one crashed reportedly less than 1000' from a sub division, looks more like 300' from a house to me.
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007/10/17/business/17safety-450.jpg

[Unterhausen]

not all predator operators are the same, did nasa lose one, or is that the contractor operated boarder patrol UAV?

[lvspark]

That's the boarder patrol from last year.

I agree, not all operators are the same, on the flip side, the human factors goes way beyond the guy on the sticks. From the factory floor, to the software, to the guy packing up boxes after the mission, the processes and procedure need to mature and be standardized before flying over populated areas. A manned aircraft could fly over these fires and get IR imagery. The Ikhana could get IR of the fires as well, and could have done so flying around cities rather than over them.

Predator B starts on page 9
http://www.faa.gov/library/reports/medical/oamtechreports/2000s/media/0424.pdf

EDIT: boarder patrol from 2006

[patrickegan]

Cal Fire had a COA too, but didn’t use it, they have too many manned assets in the area to fit it in.