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I can see many valid uses for drones that fly with only a computer program as pilot. A drone like this would be very useful to watch for forest fires, as an example, and would be a lot cheaper and more effective than using a piloted airplane. A drone used for this purpose could use solar power to stay aloft, and would never tire nor sleep. An infrared camera would 'see' a fire that started at night just as good as a fire that began in daylight.
Similar drones could fly above gridlocked highways, downloading info to computerized stop light systems that would re-direct traffic or re-route traffic so that it kept moving instead of coming to a congestive stop.
They are just flying machines. It is all in what they are designed to do, and they don't all need to carry weaponry. Do we presume every airplane that flies overhead is a bomber? Nope. I think that in time, we'll look at drones in the same way.
I can envision a bunch of legitimate and peaceful uses for privately owned and controlled drones.
Drones are already flying over this country and have been for many years. Anyone foolish to believe and/or think otherwise, was probably blindsided by Snowden's "revelations" too.
The Media is so lazy - both the articles listed in this thread so a file photo of a Predator. These 'test sites' are not going to be testing Predators - 1) They are very large. 2) They are very expensive.
Don't these writers know there are many types of drones in all sizes for a variety of applications. Lazy, Lazy
True, but don't you think the federal government will soon be supplying local municipalities with surplus military spec drone equipment?
We have become a nation of drones and cameras... the cameras are everywhere.. they are there for a reason and it isn't for traffic! It is big brother and they will take over soon. We will be a totalitarianism state before long. They are moving right along with the infrastructure.
You have hit the nail on the head with the 'infrastructure' statement.
It wasn't shovel ready ditches, bridges and roads all along now was it it? It was a completely different type of infrastructure that we envisioned in that promise. Just like the fully armed and supplied internal enforcement program he has proposed and built while we watched the wrong hand.
And drones flying over the US inch forward.
Six states got awarded test sites by the Fed.
This and most of the news reports got it wrong. It's not 6 states that were selected, it was 6 proposals. Following is the correct list...
Alaska-Hawaii-Oregon partnership
Nevada
New York
North Dakota
Texas
Virginia-New Jersey partnership
And the point of this research is to develop rules and regulations for the use of American airspace by remote control and robotic aircraft. Commercial use of drones is expected to expand rapidly now that there are so many small drones available off the shelf.
Thousands have already been sold to private parties, as well as others being used by government entities such as firefighters. Amazon recently announced their intention to use robotic drones to deliver small packages. Pizza delivery has also been mentioned as a possibility. Farmers can monitor crop growth, herd location, irrigation coverage. Local news stations can replace a single very expensive traffic helicopter with a dozen inexpensive drones and gain vastly superior coverage while saving hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.
What the FAA intends to do is develop rules that will allow such usage without endangering people in the ground or in aircraft, or damaging property. It's overdue.
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