Over 26 million radar detectors ride with drivers in North America. In cars, approximately 11% of drivers use them. They were banned in commercial vehicles, i.e. 18 wheelers, in February 1995 by U.S. DOT directive in all states. Only one state, Virginia, still bans radar detectors in cars. Detectors in cars are also banned in Washington, D.C. and U.S. Military Reservations. Only Alberta, Saskatchewan, and British Columbia allow radar detectors in Canada. Using a radar detector in Ontario can be quite severe with fines up to $1,000.00 and confiscation of the device.

WARN THEM WITH RADAR

     Radar drone use is not new. In the 80’s the FCC allowed the use of unattended radar guns in weather resistant housings on a dangerous stretch of Interstate 75 outside of Cincinnati, Ohio. This use was an exception to the FCC rules and a demonstration project. Many police agencies instruct their officers to leave their radar guns continually transmitting at traffic stops or accident scenes warning those drivers with radar detectors. These radar detector drivers think the police are ahead and they are. The Federal Communications Commission does not ban the use of radar detectors, Public Notice DA 96-2040, states, “The use of radar detectors does not constitute in itself a violation of FCC rules.” The U.S. Department of Transportation and NHTSA, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, provided new Drone Radar Operational Guidelines, DOT HS 807 753, allowing the use of drone radar transmitters. The new regulations did not require the radar transmitter to measure the speed of vehicle with its return Doppler shift frequency. Now, radar drones could be unattended and only transmit, not receive back a signal, “the FCC has recently reconsidered and will now permit the use of unattended, continuously radiating radar (i.e., drone radar). Nevertheless, the Commission continues to require that any radar units used in drone operation must be type accepted...”

     Radar drones must transmit on K or Ka bands, never X band. The FCC allows other uses of X band including automatic door openers, burgular alarms, truck braking systems, train navigation, and others. Detector drivers will disregard a X band encounter as a false alert. Only the State of New Jersey still uses X band for speed enforcement under state contract. Now, thousands of drone radar transmitters are found in school zones, on arrow boards, on DOT trucks, atop ambulances and fire apparatus, in neighborhoods, accompanying school children mounted to their school busses, and along dangerous sections of highways. Radar drone use is increasing and is effective in reducing speeds. Texas A & M’s Texas Transportation Institute study, 00-1475, confirms their effectiveness saying, “speeds were reduced with the radar drones...passenger car speed reduction was significant.” Other studies confirm the findings.