FCC to license surveillance robots in 70 cm band

Status
Not open for further replies.

nd5y

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
11,228
Location
Wichita Falls, TX
The FCC will begin licensing surveillance robots for public safety agencies in the 70 cm (420-450 MHz) amateur band.

ReconRobotics Applications | FCC.gov

In this Order we grant, subject to certain limitations outlined below, applications for
authorization filed by the public safety agencies listed in the attached Appendix to deploy and operate the
surveillance robot known as the “Recon Scout” for public safety purposes.1 The Recon Scout is a remote-
controlled, maneuverable surveillance robot manufactured by ReconRobotics, Inc. (ReconRobotics),
which transmits real-time video surveillance data.2 In granting the applications, we deny the Petition to
Deny Applications filed against each of the subject applications by the ARRL, the national association for
Amateur Radio (ARRL), the series of pleadings entitled Petition to Deny Applications/Conditional
Authority and First Amended Petition to Deny, which Mr. James Edwin Whedbee (Whedbee) filed
against these applications, as well as all associated challenges filed in related pleadings against these
applications.3
 
Last edited:

W2NJS

Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2006
Messages
1,938
Location
Washington DC
To get a much better view and understanding of this matter you have to read the entire FCC decision. The italicized print above is only the opening paragraph of a very long statement.
 

nd5y

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
11,228
Location
Wichita Falls, TX
To get a much better view and understanding of this matter you have to read the entire FCC decision. The italicized print above is only the opening paragraph of a very long statement.

That's why I posted the link to the page with the entire document.
 

kb2vxa

Completely Banned for the Greater Good
Banned
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Messages
6,100
Location
Point Pleasant Beach, N.J.
I'm not the least surprised by the FCC's denial of the petitions to deny. The ARRL especially should know the only one to have any say in the matter is the military, they have primary allocation and all else is secondary. We're lucky and should be grateful they allow us to use the band at all. Remember PAVE/PAWS and pay homage to the radio god.
 

W2NJS

Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2006
Messages
1,938
Location
Washington DC
Don't believe for a second that the bottom section of UHF is unused, because it's not. My repeater group uses it for five local remote receivers as well as about eight out-of-town sites, all linked on channels between 420 and 426 mHz and all of them coordinated.
 

GrumpyGuard

Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2003
Messages
637
Location
NEWBERG
I just did a search for Ca. and came up with 12 cities and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations.
 

Rt169Radio

Member
Premium Subscriber
Joined
Aug 24, 2011
Messages
2,959
Location
CT
Is it controlled in those freqs or is the video streamed on those freqs? Who has top rights on the band? Ham radio or the robots?
 

nd5y

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
11,228
Location
Wichita Falls, TX
The emission designator on the licenses is for analog video.
I can't find any information on the control frequency. I assume they are using an ISM band or something that doesn't require a license.

The special conditions on the licenses says:
Licensee must operate in accordance with DA 10-291, released on February 23, 2010. Licensees must maintain a log of all Recon Scout use. The log will include the date of operation, start/stop times, location of operation, frequency segment of operation, reason for use, and point of contact. Licensees must provide this information to the Commission or to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration upon request of either agency

Refer to section III paragraph 11 in DA 10-291 for conditions of operation http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-10-291A1.pdf . The last part says:

Recon Scout transmitters shall be labeled as required in Part 2 of the Commission’s Rules, and
shall bear the following statement in a conspicuous location on the device: “This device may not
interfere with Federal stations operating in the 420-450 MHz band and must accept any
interference received.” In addition, the following statement shall be placed in the instruction
manual: “Although this transmitter has been approved by the Federal Communications
Commission, there is no guarantee that it will not receive interference.”
 
Last edited:

joen7xxx

Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2004
Messages
366
Location
DN-41
Is it controlled in those freqs or is the video streamed on those freqs? Who has top rights on the band? Ham radio or the robots?

As stated above, Amateur Radio has a Secondary allocation here. The military and radiolocation are primary.
 

nd5y

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
11,228
Location
Wichita Falls, TX
The control unit operates on Part 95 R/C channels in the 72-76 MHz band.

Here are the FCC IDs for those of you who want to look at the documents on the FCC OET site.
Control unit: UYXRSK2011-02
Robot: UYXRSK2010-01
 

kb2vxa

Completely Banned for the Greater Good
Banned
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Messages
6,100
Location
Point Pleasant Beach, N.J.
"Is it controlled in those freqs or is the video streamed on those freqs?"

Can't say for sure, it's a difference service with a different license. As far as hams go, I once knew a cute little robot with control on 6M, ATV on 70cM and talk-back on 2M all according to FCC R&Rs. Typical bot, he liked to cruise the bar trying to pick up chicks.
 

zz0468

QRT
Banned
Joined
Feb 6, 2007
Messages
6,034
Not to mention 420-440 is a silent wasteland.

No, it's very heavily used by point-to-point links, 432 is heavily used by weak signal operators, and there are several segments used for fast scan TV.

If you listen with a scanner, you won't hear much. If you listen in the right areas with the right receiver, you'll hear plenty.
 

mancow

Member
Database Admin
Joined
Feb 19, 2003
Messages
6,879
Location
N.E. Kansas
Got to see one of these robots yesterday at a conference. They are neat but I can't imagine there will be enough sold to cause that much interference.
 

W2NJS

Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2006
Messages
1,938
Location
Washington DC
It's not VHFor UHF, but it looks as we might be getting a 7 mHz slice of lowband spectrum soon: From the ARRL Bulletin:

"On the afternoon of February 7, Committee 4 of the 2012 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-12) approved Option 1 to satisfy Agenda Item 1.23, with minor editorial amendments to the text received from Working Group 4C. Option 1 calls for a worldwide secondary allocation to the Amateur Service at 472-479 kHz, with a power limit of 1 W EIRP, with a provision for administrations to permit up to 5 W EIRP for stations located more than 800 km from certain countries that wish to protect their aeronautical radionavigation service "
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top