Oslo bans Apple's mapping drones
Richard Orange - [email protected]
Published: 12 Aug, 2013 CET.
Updated: Mon 12 Aug 2013 09:36 CET
Oslo has barred Apple from taking ultra-high resolution aerial photographs which would have allowed users to virtually fly over the city, viewing its streets in unprecedented detail.
The US technology giant has built up a fleet of military grade spy drones to take the footage, and has already shot most of the world's capitals, including London, Paris, Rome, Stockholm and Copenhagen. But Norwegian authorities have refused to give permission to launch the drones, arguing photographing the city in so much detail represents a security risk. "We do not want it to be shot with such a high degree of precision that it could be used to identify areas that require special shielding," Øyvind Mandt of the National Security Authority (NSM) told Aftenposten. "Photographs with this level of detail would provide information about safety measures that it is not desirable becomes available." Oslo Mayor Fabian Stang, after lobbying from the US embassy, has written to Defence Minister Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen asking her to reconsider.
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The US technology giant has built up a fleet of military grade spy drones to take the footage, and has already shot most of the world's capitals, including London, Paris, Rome, Stockholm and Copenhagen.
But Norwegian authorities have refused to give permission to launch the drones, arguing photographing the city in so much detail represents a security risk.
"We do not want it to be shot with such a high degree of precision that it could be used to identify areas that require special shielding," Øyvind Mandt of the National Security Authority (NSM) told Aftenposten. "Photographs with this level of detail would provide information about safety measures that it is not desirable becomes available."
Oslo Mayor Fabian Stang, after lobbying from the US embassy, has written to Defence Minister Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen asking her to reconsider.
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