Drones

I’ve tweeted it many times: where others were seeing fun, I was seeing danger. They are everywhere. The problem is that some of them weigh even more than 70 kg and…still no regulations: they’re considered recreational. Toys for children (even if some of them aren’t children anymore) that can fly where helicopters and little airplanes should be permitted only.

It’s the perfect way of looking for troubles: how can something terrible not happen sooner or later?! It’s only a matter of time. Besides let’s consider the purpose of almost all drones is taking pictures. There are going to be massive disputes over privacy violations.

The main problem resides in the fact they aren’t identifiable. It’s already totally illegal to fly a drone near an airport, but no violators have ever been caught. Their owners should be required to take a safety course and get a license before they can operate threatening public safety. Businesses must/should have their commercial operators to undergo more extensive training.

As it stands now, is all very wrong and messy. So why they aren’t proceeding to solve the problem?

I understand they’re certainly useful in so many cases. In humanitarian missions e.g. In this role, drones equipped with cameras were flown over mountain roadways blocked by landslides to locate the injured and look for potential damage to bridges and other buildings. The goal was to provide real-time images and data for emergency crews to intervene on the scene.

Other cases where they can be utilized (only your imagination is the limit): in search and rescue, surveying, crop dusting and even deliveries (think about Amazon), some businesses are beginning to look at opportunities to revolutionize how basic services and dangerous tasks might be performed in the future. Which is fine. So far, so good. But as the number of drones entering the skies increases, accidents, injuries and the potential for lawsuits are likely to increase as well... In the commercial marketplace, successful companies deploys drones more and more increasingly. Wherefore: safely and effectively as well? THAT’s the big question. For airspace already crowded with commercial, civil and military flights, regulations have been missing to develop a framework to integrate drones safely into the national airspace. What are they waiting for?!

Whatever form those rules will take, a regulation will provide only one measure of control. Meaning, let’s go further: businesses also need to consider how potential liabilities from injuries and property damage can be minimized. And exposures are not limited to outdoor environments: drones have the potential to cause injuries indoors as well. You can see more and more of them everywhere, like shopping malls, restaurants, even swimming pools. It's not hard to imagine how even relatively minor incidents could very soon lead to major lawsuits. Whether an event happens indoors or outdoors, such incidents might also ignite public disappointment. Opinions can change very quickly!

There’s only one solution: we need rules! May I say: desperately? Just try imagining: what are the make, model and year of the drone? How high can it fly? How long can it remain in the air? Is it traceable? Is the owner clearly identifiable? If pushed to exceed its limits, a drone might malfunction and consequently crash back to earth, possibly colliding with a car, building, power line or… killing a person! How much weight can a drone safely carry? Has the drone been legally/illegally modified after manufacture? Are connectivity limits tested? And so on and on… only your fantasy is the limit. If overloaded, both the drone and the cargo could be lost and theorically damage property or, again, harm bystanders below. Is it allowed to investigate whether a drone has been serviced and maintained according to manufacturer guidelines? Who is taking care of all these issues, for the time being? There are definitely way too many “grey” areas at the moment, in my humble view. That’s including the drone's software and operating systems too, which should be both kept up to date to reduce the risk of malfunction.
Each industry presents its own risks in using drones. E.g. another risk involves potential risks for those who misuse drones to take and exploit pictures without consent of persons on private property, as I said above: privacy violations.
Drones used in a commercial context are of course the vast majority and present risks and rewards that may soon become much clearer to everyone, let me say literally … at “ground level”. For businesses that seek to get the potential benefits, it might be prudent to pause for a while and conduct a due diligence review of drone risks. But when will this materialize?
My take? Something really, really bad must happen before and we won’t have to wait much longer: many planes missed them by only a few meters. What more can I possibly say? I think all aspects have been laid out. Our world…today. It’s all just an extension of selfies, isn’t it?
….Always humble,
Angiolino

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