Spy in the Sky: Store-bought spies in rural Va.

One of the Russell County Sheriff's Department's two drones rests on a patrol car. They have not been deployed in an actual response. (草莓传媒/Andrew Mollenbeck)

Maj. William Watson's iPhone displays what the drone is capturing, namely 草莓传媒's Andrew Mollenbeck and himself. (草莓传媒/Andrew Mollenbeck)

The Russell County Sheriff's Department bought two drones last September. They cost about $300 each. (草莓传媒/Andrew Mollenbeck)

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Editor’s note: Some drones are bigger than a jet, weaponized and used in strategic military operations. Others are smaller than a basketball, sent airborne for basic surveillance or weekend recreation.

The label “unmanned aerial vehicles,” or UAVs, is almost a catch-all term covering a wide range of devices that vary greatly in their capabilities and purposes. Yet the use of drones generally sparks intense debate, questions about security versus privacy and even fear.

In the 草莓传媒 series “Spy in the Sky,” 草莓传媒 examines the types of drones used by the U.S. military and fears about targeted killings, both at home and abroad.

Part 3: Store-bought spies in rural Virginia

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