Brett Velicovich on Predator Drones Monitoring LA Riots and US Drone Advancement

Predator Drones Over LA Riots

• 🎯 Predator drones were used to monitor violence during recent riots in Los Angeles, providing crucial surveillance and intelligence to local authorities.
• ⚠️ Critics questioned the use of drones on US soil, but the drones deployed are unarmed and not equipped with missiles.
• ✈️ Customs and Border Protection (CBP) typically uses these drones along the southern border for activities like tracking drug cartel operations.
• 🛰️ These drones fly at high altitudes, around 20,000 feet, allowing them to cover vast areas and observe criminal activity.

National Guard and Drone Deployment

• 🛡️ The deployment of the National Guard in LA means military assets, including surveillance and intelligence capabilities, can be tasked to support domestic operations.
• 🚨 This comprehensive support structure, including drones, is seen as a positive measure for public protection.

US Drone Technology and Adversaries

• 🇺🇸 President Trump has emphasized increasing US drone capabilities, signing an executive order to cut red tape and accelerate drone production.
• 📉 The US defense industrial base has fallen behind adversaries like China, Iran, and Russia in drone technology advancement.
• 🏭 China is reportedly producing hundreds of thousands of drones per month, highlighting the need for the US to boost its domestic drone manufacturing.

The Future of Warfare and Drone Innovation

• ⚔️ Drones are increasingly becoming the future of warfare, with 70% of strikes on the front lines in the Russia-Ukraine conflict being drone-based.
• 🎯 The US Army has introduced smart rifle scopes with auto-targeting capabilities to counter enemy drones.
• 🤖 The Smash 2000 scope uses cameras, sensors, and artificial intelligence to track targets and determine the optimal moment to fire, with the system controlling the trigger for guaranteed hits.