Drones as do-it-yourself project?

Drones as a DIY? Far-fetched?

Umm... no, as it turns out.

Dawn Meyerriecks, deputy director for National Intelligence Acquisition and Technology, said she sees the proliferation of easy-to-use advanced technology as a challenge for intelligence and defense operators. That type of technology could allow people to do all manner of things, including do-it-yourself drones.

Speaking at the Federal Networks 2011 conference, Meyerriecks told her audience about DIYDrones.com, where one can apparently learn to assemble a remote drone airplane.

"What is that for?," she asked. "The ability to make your own drone and drop stuff from them ... water balloons, I'm sure, is the intent."

Chuckle from the crowd.

"There is this fairly advanced technology that everybody has access to and that makes our job that much harder," she said.

We wonder ... if someone tries to make a drone and gets in over their head, can they call on HGTV's Brian Baeumler for help?

Meyerriecks was Government Computer News' Defense Department Person of the Year in 2004 and a Top 100 Federal Computer Week winner in 2000.