US military to shoot down consumer drones

The Pentagon has given US military bases permission to shoot down or otherwise destroy consumer drones flying overhead and nearby.

A spokesman revealed that guidance was issued on 4 August. He said NON SENSITIVE INFORMATION RELEASABLE TO THE PUBLIC Page 3 of 7 NON SENSITIVE INFORMATION RELEASABLE TO THE PUBLIC the exact terms of the policy were classified.

The move comes days after the US Army ordered its own troops to stop using drones made by Chinese manufacturer DJI because of alleged “cyber-vulnerabilities”. It became illegal to fly personal drones within 400ft (122m) of the US’s 133 military facilities in April.

The Federal Aviation Administration announced at the time that those who disobeyed the order would face financial penalties and possible criminal charges. The watchdog has forecast that US-based hobbyists will own more than 3.5 million drones by 2021, and that there could be a further 1.6 million commercial models in operation.

For more Information: http://www.bbc.co.uk/