Enthusiasm for drone deliveries not reflected in public opinion
A survey out of the University of Las Vegas Center for Crime and Justice Policy takes a look at public awareness and acceptance of drone uses. The survey finds that those levels are tied to socio-economic demographics. The study found that men are far more likely to be aware of drones than women.
There is broad public support for the use of drones in search and rescue operations. But less than half of those polled expressed support for receiving deliveries by drone. Regarding public support for various uses the survey reported the following:
Search and Rescue Operations in Remote Areas (e.g., finding missing/injured persons) — 93%
Climatic/Geological Mapping (e.g., testing snow/water/vegetation levels) — 87%
Military Operations (e.g., detection/tracking of military targets) — 73%
Traffic Monitoring on Major Highway Routes (e.g., reporting back-ups and delays during rush hour) — 71%
International Border Patrol (e.g., monitoring immigration activities) — 68%
Journalists’ Reporting/Coverage of News Events (e.g., natural disasters, crime scenes, sport events) — 56%
Detecting Criminal Activities in Open Public Places (e.g., street-level drug dealing) — 48%
Crowd Monitoring at Large Public Events (e.g., sporting events, concerts)Â — 43%
Delivery Services for Small Items (e.g., mail, books) to Private Residences — 42%
You can find the complete survey here.
Frank Schroth is editor in chief of DroneLife, the authoritative source for news and analysis on the drone industry: it’s people, products, trends, and events.
Email Frank
TWITTER:@fschroth