Saturday, July 28, 2012

Tell Congress: STOP THE DRONES!

Nearly every member of Congress from North Carolina can be reached on Twitter. Below are their Twitter addresses. If they really represent us, now is the time for them to become responsive to our message: STOP THE DRONES!


NORTH CAROLINA CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION

1st District - GeorgeButterfield: @gkbutterfield
2nd District - ReneeElmers: @repreneeellmers
3rdDistrict - Walter B.Jones: @RepWalterJones
4th District - DavidPrice: @repdavideprice
5th District - VirginiaFoxx: @virginiafoxx
6th District - HowardCoble: @howardcoble
7th District - MikeMcIntyre: @repmikemcintyre
8th District - LarryKissell: @replarrykissell
9th District - SueMyrick: @SueMyrick
10th District - PatrickMcHenry: @PatrickMcHenry
11th District - HeathShuler: NOT ON TWITTER!
12th District - MelvinWatt: @melwattnc12
13th District - BradleyMiller: @RepBradMiller

Learn more about the Congressional drones advocates in other states -- the members of the Congressional Unmanned Systems Caucus.

Friday, July 27, 2012

North Carolina: First in Flight? Or First in Drones?

According to the Department of Defense Report to Congress on Future Unmanned Aircraft Systems Training, Operations, and Sustainability (April 2012), North Carolina has four locations that have been designated as potential basing locations for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) [i.e. drones] (p. 8 ff.).

The table below gives information on the types of drones that are proposed for basing at each location.
BASE Predator/Reaper type Shadow/Raven type Other
Fort Bragg MQ-1B, MQ-1C, MQ-9A RQ-11B, RQ-7B Wasp, Puma, Viking
MCB Camp Lejune RQ-11B, RQ--21B Wasp
MCALF Bogue RQ-21A, RQ-7B
MCAS Cherry Point RQ-21A, RQ-7B
NOTE: The report states, "Active FAA COAs allow the transit of VMU-2 aircraft through uncontrolled airspace from the MCAS Cherry Point class "D" surface area to the Restricted Area R5306CID, and from the NAS Fallon class "D" surface area to the surrounding restricted areas. A ground based sense and avoid (GBSAA) solution is currently being evaluated by the FAA to support the 6 nm transit at Cherry Point. However, a network of 14 ground-based observers is still required to comply with the COA while the evaluation is ongoing." (p. 23/4)

Will we see drones flying in the skies of North Carolina soon?