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An Open Letter To Google Chairman Eric Schmidt On Drones

Posted by samzenpus on from the on-the-other-hand dept.

savuporo writes "A DC Area Drone User Group has posted an open letter in response to recent comments by Eric Schmidt about banning drones from private use. The closing section reads: 'Personally owned flying robots today have the power to change the balance of power between individuals and large bureaucracies in much the same way the Internet did in the past. And just as the military researchers who developed GPS for guiding munitions could never have imagined their technology would be used in the future to help people conduct health surveys in the world's poorest countries or help people find dates in the world's richest, there is a whole world of socially positive and banal applications for drones that are yet to be discovered. We should embrace this chance that technology provides instead of strangling these opportunities in their infancy. Our hope is that you and the rest of Google's leadership will embrace this pro-technology agenda in the future rather than seeking to stifle it. We would welcome the opportunity to speak further with you about this topic.'"

3 of 171 comments (clear)

  1. Useful as Surrogates by lubaciousd · · Score: 5, Interesting

    We're approaching a level of non-invasive brain-computer interface quality that could conceivably be used for controlling a drone. Combine that with smaller, cheaper drones(think UPenn quadrocopters), and you can give people halfway decent surrogate systems relatively soon.

  2. heading off other trolls by globaljustin · · Score: 5, Interesting

    the public face of Google and holds motivational speeches. Isn't that good for a CEO?

    No. The CEO is the final decision maker on all resource allocation. The CEO has final approval of all deals. The CEO chooses who works for the company. The CEO has to sign **Sarbanes-Oxley** and risk jail time on the company's financial accuracy.

    You are a troll for sure, but your notions are ruining American business and I hate it. You really deserve to work in a cubicle doing drone work with your attitude.

    If you disagree, you can type your bullshit argument but it won't get a response from me. This response is the only response necessary.

    You are giving the **CEO** a pass. You and everyone who uses your line of thinking is a troll.

    --
    Thank you Dave Raggett
  3. Re:Goose meet Gander by Spliffster · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I am co-founder of a company that produces small autonomous aircrafts. Google bought one from us.