With any new technology, there is a need for an adaptation or creation of laws that would regulate the use of the new advance.
This was the case with the implementation of laws for cars, cyber bullying, online piracy, and more.
The fact that drunk drivers and Internet trolls exist is a downside to cars and the Internet; however, these issues are overshadowed by the advantages these new developments have led to.
With the increased use in consumer drone use, we see the same initial problems arising. Rather than embracing the potential positive applications for drones, the general public and government have an all-or-nothing attitude, banning drones completely when the first problem arises.
These laws, though strict, are warranted in many cases, as lawmakers are trying to protect the safety and privacy of the general public. For example, in Evanston, Illinois, city officials passed a 2-year ban on drones for warrantless surveillance.
Individuals like urban designer, Michael Sipus, see a possibility for compromise when it comes to legislation for drones.
Sipus proposes that drone laws could parallel traffic laws, allowing cities to designate fly zones for drones. The system would work off a basic and easy-to-understand concept, where green zones would be okay to fly, yellow zones would offer restrictions based on time and other factors, and red zones would be forbidden.
Red zones would consist of places like sports stadiums or other crowded places that would threaten security.
Designating green zones would also lower the risk of injuries or damage, since the green zones would lack crowds or valuable infrastructure.
As Sipus says according to Popular Science, the current laws considered by the FAA and other lawmakers are ones “that crush opportunity.”
The answer should not be to do away with the technology all together, but rather implement a set of laws that maximize this technology’s potential.
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