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Drone Crash At White House Raises Wider Security Concerns

(CBS/AP) -- A two-foot-long drone apparently flown by a hobbyist crashed on the White House grounds Monday in an extraordinary, if unintended, breach that raised fresh questions about the president's security — and a growing threat from the sky.

Officials believed the intrusion to be the first of its kind on the White House grounds, although not the first in the vicinity.

Low-flying drones like the quadcopter — a craft lifted by four propellers — have become increasingly sophisticated and affordable instruments that authorities worry could also become tools for terrorists or others meaning to do harm.

CBS 2's Brad Edwards reports on what the incident could mean for the new technology.

"You shouldn't be flying around the White House, even if you're a pro," says Chicago drone enthusiast Matt Makris. "That's kind of a big deal when people go out and do things like that, which is plain irresponsible."

Makris says any technology can be subverted in the wrong hands.

"Computers have gotten into the wrong hands," he says. "I don't think that's a reason to stop developing the technology for good reasons."

The FAA is developing long-awaited rules for the technology.

The operator of the South Lawn drone, a government employee, has fully cooperated with authorities but still could face a year in jail if charged and convicted.

Paul McDuffee, vice president at drone-maker Insitu, said of the device that crashed: "Something of that size is going to be very limited in terms of what it can carry, probably down to a few ounces in payload."

Even so, a small drone at low altitude is hard to intercept.

"There's probably nothing they have that could stop it, particularly at night," said James Lewis of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "The sniper would be shooting at the drone and his bullets would be going past it into the buildings on Connecticut Avenue. If it's a crisis or emergency, sure, that makes sense, but what goes up comes down, and that includes bullets."

The episode joins a string of recent security breaches at the White House.

(Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS Radio and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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