The UK is examing the possible deployment of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) within 10 years across Britain's airspace for a range of civilian tasks including traffic control and environmental monitoring, The Guardian reports.

UAVs cannot currently operate in UK skies, except in "restricted conditions". Accordingly, the government has pumped £32m into Astraea - "a national programme that focuses on the technologies, systems, facilities and procedures that will allow UAVs to operate safely and routinely in the UK".

I wonder what the implications of flying your own UAV over the US would be. It's certainly a remotely operated aircraft beyond the scale of a mere RC plane. I'm sure there's an FAA rule somewhere prohibiting it, or requiring that you have a fully-flight qualified pilot controlling the aircraft from the ground.

Still, this sends chills down my spine.

UK Investigates Civilian Use of UAVs