This is old news (last fall), but I wasn't aware that the FBI and DHS run extensive aerial surveillance programs throughout the US (except on weekends). Buzzfeed has identified some of the planes involved, and tracked their flight paths on Flightradar24:
I wouldn't be surprised of some of this work is being moved to (unregistered) drones...
(Via FlowingData.)
buzzfeed wrote:
We detected nearly 100 FBI fixed-wing planes, mostly small Cessnas, plus about a dozen helicopters. Collectively, they made more than 1,950 flights over our four-month-plus observation period. The aircraft frequently circled or hovered around specific locations, often for several hours in the daytime over urban areas.
We also tracked more than 90 aircraft, about two-thirds of them helicopters, that were registered to the DHS [..]
We also tracked more than 90 aircraft, about two-thirds of them helicopters, that were registered to the DHS [..]
I wouldn't be surprised of some of this work is being moved to (unregistered) drones...
(Via FlowingData.)