The House Armed Services Committee Mark-Up for next year’s Defense Authorization is out. And it includes funds to build drone hangars at four bases in the Continental US. The bases are–with images showing how far a Predator drone might be able to fly with its 2,300 mile range–are below:
Fort Riley, KS ($60 million)
Fort Campbell, KY ($67 million)
Fort Bragg, NC ($54 million)
Fort Hood, TX ($47 million)
Congratulations California! You seem to be slightly out of range of these new drone hangars.
Mind you, these aren’t the domestic drones you’re looking for. The domestic drones–piloted by the Air National Guard at Fort Drum, NY to monitor black bears in the Adirondacks–just cover the East coast. These drones probably won’t have a domestic purpose.
Still, with members of Congress itching to approve drone overflight in the name of job-creation, how long will it be before we see drones overhead?