In early 2008 a company called ReconRobotics submitted a request to the FCC for a waiver of Part 90 of the Commission's Rules with respect to the Recon Scout, a remote-controlled, maneuverable surveillance robot designed for use in areas that may be too hazardous for human entry. This device can be thrown, dropped or launched into hazardous areas and can provide an operator located a safe distance away with video and audio, along with infrared, biological, chemical, heat, radiation or other data. ReconRobotics sought the waiver to permit equipment authorization of the Recon Scout, and its use by state and local law enforcement and firefighting agencies and by security personnel in critical infrastructure industries. The ARRL filed the attached comments opposing the waiver request, as reported in our Web story at http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/05/29/10130/. Today the FCC released an Order, also attached, granting the waiver but with conditions. The General Counsel and staff are reviewing the Order and will provide a recommendation to the Executive Committee with regard to a possible petition for reconsideration. While we are of course disappointed that the Commission has departed from sound spectrum allocation principles in granting the waiver, we must be careful that anything we say not be perceived as being insensitive to the personal safety of law enforcement and other public safety personnel. In that regard please see the attached ex parte filing by Mitchell Lazarus. 73, Dave Sumner, K1ZZ <<Recon Robotics Order.pdf>> <<ReconroboticsComments05-27-08.pdf>> <<ReconRobotics ex parte.pdf>>