A recent Nightline (ABC) segment on the use of unmanned drones made it clear that small aerial camera-ready craft are becoming mainstream.
Here is the video: http://news.yahoo.com/video/us-15749625/drones-who-is-watching-you-28326842.html
At the beginning of the segment, note that the humming bird covert camera can record audio. Buyer beware! While it is legal to record video of people when they do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy (the courts will eventually take up this issue once the lawsuits are filed over these devices), in almost every state--and for that matter in federal statute--the recording of audio in which you are not a party to the conversation is illegal wiretap. In other words, careless use of aerial drones to conduct covert surveillance could lead to prison.
Here is the video: http://news.yahoo.com/video/us-15749625/drones-who-is-watching-you-28326842.html
At the beginning of the segment, note that the humming bird covert camera can record audio. Buyer beware! While it is legal to record video of people when they do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy (the courts will eventually take up this issue once the lawsuits are filed over these devices), in almost every state--and for that matter in federal statute--the recording of audio in which you are not a party to the conversation is illegal wiretap. In other words, careless use of aerial drones to conduct covert surveillance could lead to prison.