Martin Kaste

Will Bureaucracy Keep The U.S. Drone Industry Grounded?

Martin Kaste — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 07:19:00 +0000

Americans are suspicious of drones. Reports of the unmanned aerial vehicles' use in war zones have raised concerns about what they might do here at home. For instance, in Seattle earlier this year, a public outcry forced the police department to abandon plans for eye-in-the-sky UAV helicopters.

The backlash worries Paul Applewhite, an aerospace engineer with 10 years of experience at companies like McDonnell Douglas and Sikorsky.

Yes, Your New Car Has A 'Black Box.' Where's The Off Switch?

Martin Kaste — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 20:58:00 +0000

If you're a vehicle owner and happen to have a car accident in the near future (we hope you don't), it's likely the crash details will be recorded. Automotive "black boxes" are now built into more than 90 percent of new cars, and the government is considering making them mandatory.

Dave Wells, a detective at the King County Sheriff's Office in Washington state, specializes in accident reconstruction. That means he's often crouched under steering wheels, looking for the connector that mechanics use to get diagnostic codes.

Even Where It's Legal, Pot Producers Weigh The Business Risks

Martin Kaste — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 21:30:00 +0000

Attorney General Eric Holder appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday to answer questions on everything from gun control to the Department of Justice's failure to prosecute Wall Street. But he was also asked about an issue proponents of marijuana legalization have been following closely: what the DOJ plans to do about Colorado and Washington state, which have defied federal law by legalizing recreational use of the drug.

Holder said the department is still mulling its options.

As Police Drones Take Off, Washington State Pushes Back

Martin Kaste — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 23:06:00 +0000

Last year, Seattle became one of the nation's first cities to buy unmanned drones for use by the police department. Public reaction was less "Gee-whiz" than "What the heck?"

The phrase "unmanned drones" typically conjures images of places like Afghanistan. But the Federal Aviation Administration says it wants to start testing the civilian use of aerial drones here in the U.S. and has already issued special permits to a few police departments interested in trying them out.

But after a raucous Seattle City Council hearing earlier this month, the mayor killed the drone program.

From Oil Fields To REI, Interior Nominee Has Outdoorsy Cred

Martin Kaste — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 21:36:00 +0000

President Obama's choice to take over at the Department of the Interior comes from the business world. Sally Jewell is the CEO of outdoor equipment supplier REI.

"For Sally, the toughest part of this job will probably be sitting behind a desk," the president said when introducing his nominee Wednesday. "I suspect she'll want to get out of the office quite a bit."

Before Jewell took the reins at REI, she worked in the financial industry at Washington Mutual.