Dragonflies with a byte: new spy insects being used to surveil antiwar protests

Yesterdays Flashpoints discussed the spy bugs that are being deployed at anti-war protests across the US with Dick Becker, International ANSWER Coalition and Ian Thompson, attorney and co-coordinator of ANSWER:

http://aud1.kpfa.org/data/20071010-Wed1700.mp3

Spy “Insect”

See also stort from the Washing Post reproduced on Indybay:

Dragonfly spies at antiwar rallies

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/10/10/18453219.php

And the discussion on Slashdot:

Dragonfly-Sized Insect Spies Spotted, Denied

http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/10/11/131214

spybug
Homepage: http://flashpoints.net/

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14 Spy Squirrels In Iranian Custody

11.10.2007 22:51

It's not only robotic insects, remember the spy squirrels?

Iranian authorities have recently arrested more than a dozen squirrels for espionage.

"In recent weeks, intelligence operatives have arrested 14 squirrels within Iran's borders," state-sponsored news agency IRNA reported. "The squirrels were carrying spy gear of foreign agencies, and were stopped before they could act, thanks to the alertness of our intelligence services."

...

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7007906268

Nutz

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Feasibility

12.10.2007 10:57

There seem to be some problems with this idea.

First is power supply. To keep an object like that in the air for any length of time will need quite a lot of energy. No room for batteries, so not electrical. Gas powered? Not a lot of room for gas cylinders either.

It would need controlling, so a radio receiver + motors - certainly some electrical power needed.

Bugging? No room on there for a camera. Broadcasting images again takes power. Maybe a microphone for an audio link, but the chances of picking anything significant out of the noise of a demo is fairly remote.

spaz