Feds Announce Test Sites For Drone Aircraft

SpaceGhost writes "The Associated Press reports: 'The Federal Aviation Administration announced six states on Monday that will develop test sites for drones, a critical next step for the march of the unmanned aircraft into U.S. skies.' The sites will be in Alaska, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Texas and Virginia. They quote Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx saying, 'These test sites will give us valuable information about how best to ensure the safe introduction of this advanced technology into our nation's skies.' This is a first step to allowing commercial drone use."

Comments

Eh?

[dtmos]

I thought we'd been testing them in other nations' skies for a while now -- what more needs to be done?

Re:Eh?

[clarkkent09]

What part of commercial drones do you not understand? It is not about testing drones as much as developing infrastructure and procedures for widespread civilian drone use.

Laws to protect us from drones?

[EMG at MU]

Does anyone else think that before we allow commercial drone use we should also start thinking about some laws on how drones can be used?

For example, should it be legal for an advertising company to buzz around my home with a drone based billboard?

Should Amazon or some other retailer be allowed to surveil me with a drone to compile my shopping habits and then make me offers?

Should my employer be able to use a drone to monitor if I am interviewing at a competitor?

We're in a bit of a privacy crisis right now partially due to the fact that online privacy laws were about 10 years behind the technology. Lets try to avoid that with drones.

Re:Laws to protect us from drones?

[Spy Handler]

Not a fine, pulling the corporation's FAA license to fly drones if they violate regulations.

Do you see Delta or United not caring about FAA regulations? Do they simply pay a fine out of their profits and consider that a cost of doing business? No. Because getting their license revoked means they have no business.

Re:Laws to protect us from drones?

[EMG at MU]

Jesus, talk about narcissistic. You really think that YOU are worth a billboard drone? I seriously hope we don't come to the point where drones are THAT affordable.

You lack foresight. Its not a question of if drones become cheap enough to target individuals, its a question of when.

Re:Test sites or bases?

[cayenne8]

My first thought was....

"PULL"!!!