“Drones” and the future of domestic aviation [Point of View]

It is important to acknowledge and address the legitimate challenges that will accompany the growth of domestic unmanned aviation, including privacy and airspace safety. But it is also important not to let those challenges mask the many benefits that unmanned aviation will provide. In the coming years, unmanned aircraft will help save lives after natural disasters. They will help search-and-rescue teams find lost hikers and allow police forces that cannot afford manned helicopters to obtain vital, potentially lifesaving overhead imagery during hostage standoffs. When used safely and in a manner respecting privacy, domestic UAS can become important tools for private citizens, firefighters, scientists, news reporters, filmmakers, and others to more effectively observe the world around them. More broadly, the 21st century will, in many ways, be the century of robotics, and unmanned aircraft will be an important part of that story. A strong robotics industry-and thus a strong unmanned aircraft industry- will be an essential ingredient to economic competitiveness.