I think this is fascinating, both for what the world will look like a few years down the road, as well as for all the questions that need to be answered.
A few random thoughts:
1) "Safety questions" - drones won't fly drunk, or while texting, or putting on makeup, or...you get the point. We regularly engage in what is arguably the most dangerous activity on the planet without batting an eye or thinking we should clamp down on the number of barely-trained 16-yo's doing it, so I'm not going to be moved by the safety concerns on this one. If for no other reason than drones are expensive, and lawsuits more so, so you can expect a pretty good safety record
2) "Noise/environment concerns" - I was working in the SF Bay Area when 9/11 happened; it was weird to suddenly not have planes constantly taking off from 3 different airports. For a few days.
It will be strange to have this things buzzing around the sky - for a few months. Then you'll stop looking up. I can't imaging them being worse than a leaf blower or a big diesel delivery truck.
3) "Airspace/regulations" - this part is fascinating to me. How do you avoid children's kites? Rival delivery drones? BB-guns? (I know that's what I'd be doing - a lucky shot to a rotor, and I'm the Hero Slayer of the 6th Grade). It is - literally (now that "literally" means anything you want it to, I can use it without fear) - a new frontier, with the same types of questions we're asking about Moon and Asteroid rights. I'm psyched we have these types of technical questions to deal with now.
4) "Surveillance/terrorists/et al" - whatever your concern - too late.
Start this post thinking to just think about & list my response to each major point raised elsewhere; looks like I've come out pretty keen on this whole thing. Hello, future! Isaac Asimov, you almost made it.
Drone's may not have uniquely human problems, but they will have uniquely drone problems... plus, whatever advantages gained will simply mean drones will be pushed to their limit, until new uniquely drone problems are exposed. The only difference is that at this point the uniquely drone problems are new and not as well understood.
No, that wasn't my point - simply stating that any technology comes with its own issues, so dismissing a tech because it has issues is silly. We accept the perils of driving cars, we'll reach a point of acceptance with drones
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I think this is fascinating, both for what the world will look like a few years down the road, as well as for all the questions that need to be answered.
A few random thoughts:
1) "Safety questions" - drones won't fly drunk, or while texting, or putting on makeup, or...you get the point. We regularly engage in what is arguably the most dangerous activity on the planet without batting an eye or thinking we should clamp down on the number of barely-trained 16-yo's doing it, so I'm not going to be moved by the safety concerns on this one. If for no other reason than drones are expensive, and lawsuits more so, so you can expect a pretty good safety record
2) "Noise/environment concerns" - I was working in the SF Bay Area when 9/11 happened; it was weird to suddenly not have planes constantly taking off from 3 different airports. For a few days.
It will be strange to have this things buzzing around the sky - for a few months. Then you'll stop looking up. I can't imaging them being worse than a leaf blower or a big diesel delivery truck.
3) "Airspace/regulations" - this part is fascinating to me. How do you avoid children's kites? Rival delivery drones? BB-guns? (I know that's what I'd be doing - a lucky shot to a rotor, and I'm the Hero Slayer of the 6th Grade). It is - literally (now that "literally" means anything you want it to, I can use it without fear) - a new frontier, with the same types of questions we're asking about Moon and Asteroid rights. I'm psyched we have these types of technical questions to deal with now.
4) "Surveillance/terrorists/et al" - whatever your concern - too late.
Start this post thinking to just think about & list my response to each major point raised elsewhere; looks like I've come out pretty keen on this whole thing. Hello, future! Isaac Asimov, you almost made it.
Drone's may not have uniquely human problems, but they will have uniquely drone problems... plus, whatever advantages gained will simply mean drones will be pushed to their limit, until new uniquely drone problems are exposed. The only difference is that at this point the uniquely drone problems are new and not as well understood.
No, that wasn't my point - simply stating that any technology comes with its own issues, so dismissing a tech because it has issues is silly. We accept the perils of driving cars, we'll reach a point of acceptance with drones