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Saturday, December 20, 2014

The Misunderstood Drone.

I've been sitting on the video clip about drones for a while now (below), but I’m glad I held onto it. Public Televisions Market to Market explained in detail the incredible, industry changing influence drones could have on a number of different businesses, including farming, the entertainment industry and real estate.

But negative press over the use of drones to kill terrorists and anyone else near them appears to be hindering public acceptance for their use for good:
Americans broadly back tight regulations on commercial drone operators, according to a new Associated Press-GfK poll, as concerns about privacy and safety override the potential benefits of the heralded drone revolution. By a 2-to-1 margin those who had an opinion opposed using drones for commercial purposes. The Federal Aviation Administration is expected to propose restricting drones weighing less than 55 pounds to flights under 400 feet high, forbid nighttime flights, and require drones be kept within sight of their operators … It may require drone operators to get pilot's licenses … But 64 percent support requiring the pilot's licenses.

Eddy Dufault, 58, a machinist and part-time wildlife photographer said he … opposes licensing. It can cost would-be pilots $15,000 for the necessary flight training and practice flights adding it would be more appropriate to require operators to attend a few classes and pass a drone flight test.
Even harder to understand? Republican opposition. The supposed party of jobs, jobs, jobs, might want to consider the number of jobs created by the drone manufacturing industry. Have they forgotten their base of rural farm voters, whose drone use could save, even make agriculture take off economically:
Congress may step in next year to try to nudge the FAA to move faster. Drones are forecast to account for 100,000 jobs and $82 billion in economic impact in the first 10 years they're allowed.
Here's an incredibly informative look at the game-changing use of drones:


Only 21 percent favored commercial use of drones, compared with 43 percent opposed. About 35 percent were in the middle. Support for using commercial drones was the weakest among women and seniors, while college graduates and wealthier people were more apt to favor it.

1 comment:

  1. There definitely needs to be some type of licensing process for operating a commercial drone. I would think there would also be some sort of required insurance as well. Other than that, I don't see what the problem is. I would think complaints would come from delivery drivers or other people that could lose their jobs to a drone.

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