This undated file photo provided by U.S. Customs and Border Protection shows an unmanned drone used to patrol the U.S.-Canadian border. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)
“Operating with almost no public notice, the FBI has spent more than $3 million to operate a fleet of small drone aircraft in domestic investigations,” according to a 35-page report released Thursday. The inspector general’s audit of drones used by the Justice Department shows that the FBI has been using the unmanned crafts to storm barricaded buildings, track suspects, and examine crime scenes from the air, but for much longer than publicly previously known. More in Brian Bennett’s report at latimes.com. See also Adam Klasfeld’s writeup at Courthouse News.