US states await key drones decision – and the billions that could follow
In the US, a diverse group of interests have their eyes on the technology – fire fighters combatting wild fires, police departments tracking fugitives, farmers on the watch for diseased or parched crops, TV crews filming breaking news.
Public debate about drones continues to be dominated by the controversy around the Obama administration’s ongoing policy of targetted killings. Attention has focused on the weaponised aircraft, such as the Global Hawk and the Predator, that have been deployed in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen and other conflict spots.
But all that is about to change. Though Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ boast on 60 Minutes that one day his company will drop packages on its customers’ doorsteps using unmanned “octocopters” was more than a little futuristic, given the hurdles to flying drones in densely populated urban areas, it’s likely only a matter of time before drones really do make their entry into civilian life.
Just think of the wonderful possibilities for protecting the stability of American society.
People sunbathing au natural in their backyard
Single occupancy vehicles in the HOV lane
People putting garbage in someone else's can
The possibilities are really endless. The government will no doubt need to find more things that can be declared as a threat to society in order to justify using tax money to subsidize the production.