The FBI has used drones for surveillance in limited cases over US soil. The director, Robert Mueller, said the FBI was in the “initial stages” of developing drone policies. He said the agency had “very few” drones and had used them in “a very minimal way” http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22976598
Mr Mueller described the drone use in testimony on Wednesday to the US Senate judiciary committee. He was questioned on the matter by Iowa Republican Chuck Grassley.
“I will tell you that our footprint is very small,” said Mr Mueller
He said drones were used in “particular incidents where you need the capability”, adding he was unsure how long images captured by the drones were kept.
Unmanned planes are the biggest threat to Americans’ privacy
The aerospace industry predicts there will be 30,000 drones deployed globally within five years, half of them in the US, the Associated Press news agency reports.
In March, a Republican senator raised concerns about the use of drones against Americans.
Kentucky’s Rand Paul demanded a pledge that the federal government would not use such aircraft in the US to kill terror suspects who are American citizens.
