they have the technology to do lots of things, problem is most does not work as advertised

from what i understand. they use FLIR to bust many outdoorcrops. the fact it gives off a certain heat pattern/wavelenght usually indicates it COULD be what they are looking for.
however my research also tells me other plants give off the same signals but its obvious when there is ROW upon ROW of perfectly sowed weed in the middle of nowhere, that it cant be much else.
therefore backyard grows are relatively safe, as long as your not trying to cover half your backyard.
as for indoor, that would be more of a heat thing, rather than detecting any plants.
i cant think of any way possible to measure THC from a distance, let alone from a chopper LOL. maybe in 20yrs but not anytime in the imeadiate future.
obviously its all just my opinion, but i look at things logically and come up with my own conclusion rather than take every article i read like the bible.

IN an outdoor grow, i guess they could also be looking for water areas that have moisture in the soil...areas that shouldn't, unless it's being routed there by someone.

Could give off different heat patterns as the water is evaporating, because lets face it, a 10' tall sative is gonna need a shit ton of aqua.

But the notion that the DEA is or has implemented something like this, is absurd.

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Smells Like Hay.....It's OK

It's total BS, my friend, this thing that breaks down all the wavelengths of light, etc, etc. It's a bunch of science-ish sounding gobbledygook. You should read the "scientific" docs on those radio-antenna boxes they sell to the Iraqi government to detect bombs and guns and all kinds of stuff. America keeps telling them that they are nothing more than scams, techy-looking divining rods. And they cost $thousands each. But they still keep buying them and giving them to their police to use, who then get blown up. They've spent tens or hundreds of millions of our money on them.

LOL, here some parents make a web site with info on this new great gizmo to find weed. Then they show it to other parents and start spreading the word that this is so real, you better watch out. Then the government contacts the web site and wants to buy thousands of them! So the parents figure what the heck? -and sell them little boxes with a red light and a radio antenna and a bunch of nonsense wiring inside for $thousands each and become hugely rich!

But then, being rich distracts them from their kids who go on to be alcoholics and die young.