The pros and cons are pondered by Dennis Anderson in a StarTribune op-ed piece:
Drones also are making news in the outdoor world, particularly in hunting, as states such as Colorado pass laws to prohibit their use in pursuit of elk and other game...
Meanwhile, scouting wildlife in Minnesota with drones might be legal, Salo said, though flying them over private property without permission is problematic, as is, perhaps, their use over various federal properties, such as waterfowl production areas and national forests.Meanwhile, in Illinois, Gov. Pat Quinn signed legislation last year making it illegal for anti-hunters to use drones to interfere with hunters and anglers...
“Drones are pretty loud,” he said. “I could see where they might frighten deer or other wildlife into running, rather than staying put.” Another downside to drone use for, say, scouting, is that their cameras provide relatively wide-angle views. So the size of a deer or sex of a turkey, for example, might be difficult to determine remotely unless the drone was flown relatively low.
With the sale of drones to individuals the Pandora's box is opened. No longer will terrorists like those in Boston risk being seen dropping off their bombs in the crowds, now they can fly them in. The same with stadiums during football games -- any venue where there is already plenty of noise, the drones' buzzing will not be detected and a skilled operator will be able to target wherever he wants.
ReplyDeleteHow will anyone be able to regulate the drones? We already know some of the capabilities of these things in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Why would we want to unleash them throughout our own country in the hands of any individual who can afford to buy them? And the possibility that hunters might use them to kill animals? What would keep someone who is a little wonky from using a drone to kill kids on a playground?
Or am I just too paranoid?
Why are you writing as though about a hypothetical future? These drones are now available. Commercially. To anyone who wants to buy one. The future is here.
DeleteI guess I'm just hoping that it's not too late to put the drones back in the boxes and to ban their use entirely.
DeleteDoesn't anyone think of the consequences BEFORE they unleash something like this? Is the Almighty dollar more important than the lives of those who may be killed or mutilated? Are we all just going to sit here and let it happen?
And I didn't even touch on the spying capability -- no one will have any privacy anywhere. The actors, celebrities, politicians had all better get used to being photographed everywhere because the paparazzi will be using drones...
ReplyDeleteOr, in case of a football game, a drone could fly in and drop *another football* causing havoc over which is the *real* football. Game over.
ReplyDeleteOh, that football idea is DELICIOUS! Can't wait to see that happen! (Does any know where I can buy a drone?)
ReplyDelete