National Remotely Piloted Aircraft System

The value of Remotely Piloted Aircraft RPA is being recognized across multiple government sectors. In terms of law enforcement, public safety, and civil defense, the utility of these vehicles is rapidly translating to requirements. Fiscal constraints, however, weigh against establishing separate capabilities and agencies across the federal government, all in pursuit of seemingly distinct, but ultimately similar ends. In the pursuit of these ends, however, any given agency must pay due homage to the traditional notion of privacy and civil liberties in this country while executing reconnaissance operations in the domestic environment. This paper will propose the establishment of a centralized federal agency charged with fulfilling diverse RPA mission sets in support of the domestic security of the United States. It will suggest structure and processes that will allow for servicing law enforcement, homeland security, and other governmental functions through the use of RPAs, while adhering simultaneously to concerns of economy and efficiency. Finally, the paper will suggest near-term and if necessary future safeguards that will allow for these economies and efficiencies without impeding upon the rights of United States persons and citizens.