Cigar shape almost invisible eye in the sky with precision night vision cameras

Stringer said the blimp will be shaped like a cigar, 52 feet long and four feet in diameter. The night-vision video can be viewed in real-time at ground level, and the blimp can be moved if an area needs extra patrol or video surveillance.

[link to www.standard.net]


This thing is right out of a sci-fi movie!

An unmanned, helium-filled "cop-in-the-sky" blimp — capable of flying four to six hours on batteries — would float over Ogden, 30 miles north of Salt Lake City. The high-tech idea is being developed by the Utah Center for Aeronautical Innovation and Design (UCAID) at Weber State University.

Ogden Mayor Matthew Godfrey unveiled the concept during a City Council session this week.

"You'd have multiple cameras on one ship, and you'd have a visual of a much larger area," Godfrey said. "The cost savings that this can deliver is very significant, and the deterrent factor, if this technology works as it has for the military, is huge."

[link to seattletimes.nwsource.com]

How soon will one of the citizens blow away this very expensive cop toy with a 22 gauge shot gun?

Prior to 911 I was sharing an apartment with a family friend that worked with ITT industries. He often went to Pentagon for meetings (i never inquired as it was clear he had some level of clearance, and knowing him, he would not have said anything).

But he did tell me one thing, he talked about how they Itt (had helped or created this new technology broadband) he talked about for a while and suggested that if I had any money i should invest. Being recently out of college and struggling to make it, I had no money. The stock shot up three times its value within months.

It was about a year later that I read an article in pop science type mag, that they were thinking broadband's best use could be for floating blimps over major metropolitan regions.

I can see this now, the project will be funded by both government and by communication companies, ultimately creating one massive surveillance project. I see the sale now... free government funded internet, but we are also watching you...

Wow, thanks for sharing that information. I agree that all of this military technology is headed for U.S. cities and possibly even rural areas. They will have test cities, but I have no doubt would roll this out in a widespread manner with the least provocation. Big brother will be EVERYWHERE.

I keep thinking, this is like the beginning of sky net or some other sci-fi movie nightmare.

How long until this is up in every city in U.S.?

Good point OP. Although, no pun intended, I think the price tag alone won't get that project off the ground.

supercomputer-equipped blimp in Afghanistan

[link to www.wired.co.uk]