News: 0184534926

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New Orleans Cops Published Policy Document Allowing Weaponized Drones (404media.co)

(Monday July 20, 2026 @11:30PM (BeauHD) from the sign-of-the-times dept.)


A draft New Orleans Police Department drone manual briefly published online would have [1]allowed police drones to carry weapons with written approval from the superintendent , according to 404 Media. NOPD says the document was only an early draft and that its [2]current policy (PDF) bans drones from carrying weapons or hazardous materials. 404 Media reports:

> The current version, live as of July 1, has different language: "The sUAS shall not be equipped with weapons or hazardous materials of any kind," referring to small Unmanned Aerial Systems, or drones. According to the NOPD, the operations manual it published to the internet with the rules for weaponized drones was an early draft. "The manual published on July 1 is the current published version of the policy. Earlier versions were draft versions that were presented for review before adoption of the current policy," NOPD told 404 media. "NOPD has made it clear we are not and will not be equipping drones with weapons or other hazardous materials."

>

> NOPD didn't answer follow-up questions about how or why the draft version of the manual was published. But the publication of a police drone manual that opens the door for weaponized quadcopters is important, and comes as drone companies and police flirt with the idea of putting weapons on their drones. New Orleans has long been a pioneer of camera and drone driven policing and the cops have used controversial tactics to get around public scrutiny and regulations. It shows that what the police are circulating amongst themselves and thinking about privately, what they perhaps want to happen, does not match public policy.



[1] https://www.404media.co/new-orleans-cops-published-policy-document-allowing-weaponized-drones/

[2] https://nola.gov/nola/media/NOPD/Policies/Chapter-43-5-sUAS-(drones)-Effective-7-1-2026-(1).pdf



Quick, what's the new excuse? (Score:2)

by fuzzyfuzzyfungus ( 1223518 )

What are we going to use to handwave all the 'officer involved shootings' now that the claim that you feared for your life in the face of an imminent threat is no longer plausible? We can't really put these to work until we've decided on suitable legal cover!

Re: (Score:1)

by rsilvergun ( 571051 )

They will just argue that they thought that the person they murdered was a danger to the community.

You're not going to let Willie Horton go are you?

Re: (Score:1)

by easyTree ( 1042254 )

"The drone was at risk from potential-perp - drones > people" ?

THey'll just settle for (Score:2)

by hwstar ( 35834 )

a couple of ma deuces mounted to their police helicopters. They way there's a human in the loop and on site.

You get the feeling that some cities take "Contempt of Cop" to a whole new level.

Re: (Score:2)

by lawnboy5-O ( 772026 )

Robo-cops are the next step.

Well (Score:4, Insightful)

by ArchieBunker ( 132337 )

Everyone flying your “don’t tread on me” flags, now is your time to speak up. Isn’t this in your purview?

Re: (Score:2)

by WolfgangVL ( 3494585 )

That ship sailed with Snowden.

Re: (Score:2)

by jhoegl ( 638955 )

Oh, so you are just going to fly the confederate flag of surrender, huh?

Typical, let the real patriots fight the battle for you

Re: (Score:2, Troll)

by rsilvergun ( 571051 )

I have never in my life met somebody who has one of those flags and isn't all on board the fascist train.

I'm sure somewhere out there in the 340 million people in America one of them exists. But there are so few of them compared to the fascists pretending they give a shit about civil rights that if they do exist they are completely drowned out by the fascists they hang out with.

Honestly the whole gun thing is just that it's their hobby and their friend group.

I figured that out years ago when a b

You have 10 seconds to comply (Score:2)

by butt0nm4n ( 1736412 )

Someone had to, guess it's me Ed.

If you want to send in armed drones into a cartel crack den, I am ok with that. Takes longer to train a good cop than a gangster. But it has to be regulated, proportionate, like SWAT when it's done well.

Re: (Score:2)

by butt0nm4n ( 1736412 )

Debugging

if (is_nigg-ger() == true || is_MAGA() != true)

{

shoot_the_piece_of_shit();

}

Re: Doesn't Need AI (Score:2)

by angryman77 ( 6900384 )

"== true" is redundant. Typos or improper naming conventions in code. Also, you need parameters to test, unless you're testing some hard-coded values...which would be stupid.

Maybe don't quit your day job.

hazardous materials (Score:4, Funny)

by awwshit ( 6214476 )

> The sUAS shall not be equipped with weapons or hazardous materials of any kind

Well that eliminates a drone battery.

Tourist Attraction (Score:2)

by crunchy_one ( 1047426 )

Live fire drone exercises on Bourbon Street.

Weapons of empire eventually used at home (Score:2)

by sinkskinkshrieks ( 6952954 )

That's how it goes with failing leviathan imperial military powers.

\o/ (Score:1)

by easyTree ( 1042254 )

Beep me when there's news about drones with claws to collect protection money or steal donuts.

life, n.:
That brief interlude between nothingness and eternity.