Santa, I Want a Drone for Christmas
It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s a…drone. Drones, or what are often referred to as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), are quite the rave this Christmas with every kid, young and old, across the nation, and around the world, wanting to find one under the tree on Christmas morning. It may be semantics, but many in the private “drone” industry prefer NOT to use the term drone as they believe it evokes connotations of an unmanned aerial weapons system solely used for destruction. Drones and UAVs are the epitome of doppelgängers, with one thought of by some as evil, and the other thought of as good. For the purposes of this article, we will focus on the Christmas cheer, Santa Claus delivered, positive doppelgänger version…think Star Wars or the Jetsons.
Interest in drones has skyrocketed, no pun intended, over the past few years, to the point you can pick one up at your local toy store for less than $30. You can also jump to the other end of the spectrum via many national online retailers and purchase a third generation quadcopter with a 4K camera for approximately $1,200. While many consumers are interested in purchasing a drone as a hobby, other customers are focused on using drone technology for business (i.e. crop monitoring) or humanitarian purposes (i.e. disaster response).
With recent stories focused on drones operating in restricted airspace and infringing on firefighting operations in West Coast wildfires, drones have been getting a bad rap. There are also frequent positive reports of drones being used to save someone’s life; however, these accounts are often countered by incidents of privacy infringement by the paparazzi or flights trespassing on someone’s property. As a result, it is not surprising there are so many varying opinions on drones.
To address concerns about the proliferation of drones with minimal oversight mechanisms being in place, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is in the process of requiring the operators of drones weighing over one-half pound to register with the FAA. While it is recognized that some form of control needs to be established to minimize negative incidents, such as the one involving a drone which crashed into the South Lawn at the White House, requiring operators who operate a drone weighing one-half pound, or even one pound for that matter, to register with the FAA is an overreach by the FAA as similar provisions are not required for model aircraft.
The key thing to keep in mind when operating a drone is to apply the Golden Rule; operate the drone in a manner which you would want it operated around your neighborhood, your home and your family. Drones are the 21st century equivalent of the control line airplanes many of us flew in the 1960’s and 70’s. Somehow we operated the control line airplanes without incident and the same should apply to drones if we operate them smartly and apply common courtesy.
As you shop for a drone this holiday season, you should consider the intent of your purchase, including whether the drone will be operated indoors, outdoors, or both; will it be tethered or untethered; operational flight time and distance; and the payload (i.e. camera). From there, the sky, for all practical purposes, is the limit as long as the operator complies with FAA regulations. Those regulations are constantly evolving, so you are encouraged to stay informed of current drone rules and regulations. The old axiom of “ignorance of the law is no excuse” certainly applies to operating a drone. Follow the basic rules, which can be found at https://www.faa.gov/uas/regulations_policies, and have a great time.
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Darren Price is a contributor to the Homeland Security (HS) Vortex which is a platform where insiders from the policy, law enforcement, fire service and emergency management fields converge to discuss issues related to Homeland Security.
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