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Near Misses Lead To More Consumer Drone Legislation
stowie writes: Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) has introduced the Consumer Drone Safety Act that looks to shore up safety features on consumer drones and the federal laws that govern them. This bill has nothing to do with the FAA's proposed rules on small commercial drones, this is all about hobbyist drones. It's looking to regulate the maximum height for flight, the weather and time-of-day conditions for flight, and any areas where flights may be prohibited. If passed, the act would require manufacturers to update existing consumer drones to meet these requirements, potentially through an automatic software update. The bill would require safety features for new consumer drones such as Geo-fencing to govern the altitude and location of flights, collision-avoidance software, and more.
Can we regulate the usage of stupid "share" buttons on slashdot?
Here's an idea. If you get caught, you get Attempted Murder, assault and all the other charges that should apply. We already have enough laws on the books. We don't need "using a __________ " tack-on charges.
Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
We have to have laws because some people just can't help being dicks.
Say good bye to affordable drones for hobbyists. Now all drones will have to have a gps module, an altimeter, a microcontroller, and a microprocessor capable of processing all this, extensive software to handle all of this data, .... .
Instead of safety legislation, lets just hold individuals who misuse drones accountable when they do something stupid.
But at the same time.. Fuck stupid fucking idiots who think flying their remote controlled aircraft into the flight paths of airliners, helicopters, whatever for the goddamned lulz.
This is why these laws happen, morons who can't grasp the concept that just because you have a drone that can fly anywhere doesn't mean you have the right to fly that drone anywhere, they actually need to be told that.
This is why the Flight Controller I use is Open Source. Control mongers like Diane Feinstein have no say in the software. This is the same lady pushing for back doored encryption. There is nothing in the interest of citizens that runs through her veins. One day she will attack open source as an enemy of the state.
So are you saying you are one of the stupid people who would fly your drone in an irresponsible and dangerous way?
Oh man, Talk about not getting the reference. Since you aren't American, we'll not hold that against you.
Google National Rifle Association, and you'll figure that one out. I was just doing a little bit of satire.
I don't live in America but from what I hear the police there have zero problems with the "cold dead hands"
You gather wrong. One of the oddest things I've ever seen is how many people who don't live in America seem to think we are a nation soley comprised of laid-off people living in abject poverty, and are target practice for the police, while the wealthy 1 percenters watch our demise with glee. Everyone is racist, members of a militia, far right Christian cultists, and spend all our time watching reality TV while padding our 400 pound frames with Big Gulps and Cheetos.
When in fact, it's rather nice here.
The shepherds did so well protecting the flock that the sheep no longer believed that wolves existed.