Hi!, AJ here from All Drone School, You know, technology has its benefits and shortcomings. People have enjoyed it in all aspects of life but recently complaints are all over. Well, the use of drones in the modern society has become unprecedented. Since the invention and popularization of drones there have been a lot of problems which has prompted lawmakers to address and set regulations that governs its use. In this article, I will cover in detail. What Are Drone Ethical Issues?

What Are Drone Ethical Issues? Don’t invade people’s Privacy, don’t be a nuisance, don’t fly near windows. Airports, restricted areas, crowds, wildlife, or near other drones. Don’t fly over private property without their consent. Insure safety.

What Are Drone Ethical Issues?

Written by: AJ Keil

The concept of drones is still new which requires the arising problems to be dealt with in a more elaborate way which involves the regulations and restrictions on its use. Privacy of those who around the drone, manufacturing and purchase of the drones.

A survey on the ethical considerations on the use was done and the results were that, most drone users are negligent on the regulations on drones.

Right and wrong use of drones

Therefore in this article I have provided detailed information that will help you to understand what are the right and the wrong use of drones which will build our main subject of some of the ethical considerations that should be followed.

Therefore to get a clear understanding on ethical issues governing the use of drones let us first identify some good and bad uses of drones.

What Are Drone Ethical Issues?

• Filming and journalism

The world of media has benefited to the fullest when it comes to the use of drones. Most movies are filmed using quadcopter drones. This idea has given movie industry a new look and as a result some popular films like (2012), (2013), (2002), among other popular shows came to be as a result of filmography with drones.

Additionally it has played significant role when it comes to journalism. This is because it is able to reach places where reporters can’t reach. Besides it brings positive impact on aerial footage especially when it comes to live broadcast.

• Surveillance

Regular surveys especially along the borders of any country is mandatory to ensure protection of its people. It helps in getting a wider field of View with minimal labor and you don’t have to hamper the lives of people living around. Therefore drones can be useful when obtaining data that will help the surveillance team to improve on their work.

• Shipping and delivery

The idea of using drones in shipping and delivery will be one of the greatest achievements . Amazon is working on the use of drones to facilitate a 30-minute delivery.

If this becomes successful you will be able to make your orders and within some few minutes you have your package. All you will have to do is to make an order and provide relevant information on your residence and the drone will ship your goods straight to your door step.

• Rescue operation and health care

Rescue operation usually involves achieving more within limited time. Therefore drones have become useful especially in challenging terrains or at night courtesy of its sensors. It can also be used to deliver medical supplies as well as collection of information which can be useful in service delivery.

• Archaeological surveys

In the past people spent lots of effort and time In archaeological surveys which turned out to be futile.Now the drones can bring us essential details and footage from such sites which has helped archaeologists to do their work better.

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What Are Drone Ethical Issues?

• Geographic mapping

Drones have been instrumental in the field of 3D geographic mapping.Some places on the Earth are not accessible for instance mountain tops and dangerous coastlines.Therefore the 3D maps can help geologist gather adequate data for their study.

• Wildlife monitoring

What Are Drone Ethical Issues? Drones can check on wildlife like these bears.

The drones are resourceful in the wildlife services. They are used in monitoring to prevent malicious activities like poaching which endangers animal species. Besides their footage can help us analyze animal patterns by studying their behavior.

The good thing about using drones is that it doesn’t disturb the wildlife and the drone can be used at night if they have thermal sensors.

• Weather forecasting

Drones have also been useful in predicting weather. They have effective cameras and sensors which can be used in weather prediction. Drones can be sent to areas experiencing tornadoes and hurricanes and the footage from such occurrences can be useful in predicting patterns and magnitude.

Well I have highlighted the good things that drones brings along with. This doesn’t mean that there are people out there who have misused them. Let us have a look at some of the things that you should not do with a drone.

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Things that any drone user should NOT do

Drones have their own regulations that should be adhered to. Some people think they are remote controlled toys but there is more to that. You need to be acquainted with its regulations so that you might not find yourself in jail or being mocked all over the internet.

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• Never fly a drone before reading the manual

Don’t be an all knowing person who is too negligent on some basics. I know once you get a gadget like a drone excitement is all over but you need to have a look at the manual before anything else. You need to know your machine and it’s limitation.

Additionally, most drones use rechargeable batteries this implies you should know the distance it can last before you attract unnecessary accidents. Therefore read the manual it is always to spend your time and know all about the device before you learn a lesson the hard way.

• Never fly a drone indoors

There is a misconception that you can fly a drone indoors if you are a beginner but that is wrong. Flying indoors is unsafe and it can lead to unexpected accidents. Therefore it is advisable that you identify an outdoor space with no obstacles which you can learn drone piloting.

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• Never fly over an open body of water

What are drone ethical issues? – Don’t fly over open body of water. Photo by from 

We all know that electronics gadgets and water are incompatible. Therefore when you fly your expensive drone over an open water body you are taking a great risk. You might encounter problems like loss of GPS signal, low battery, and other unforeseen error which can land your drone on water. To avoid such a problem, avoid flying over an open water surface.

• Don’t fly a drone at night

I don’t see a reason why you can be tempted to fly a drone at night because at night there is poor vision and the cameras might not capture the images. Besides it will be difficult for you to know the where you are flying your drone which you can land on electric lines and other hazards.

• Never fly near other drones

Drone racing can be fun but you can’t prevent the drones from crashing on each other. Therefore it is better to fly on a safe and open environment. Additionally flying a drone near or from a moving body is complicated. Therefore if you are a beginner you need to acquire more skills because there is change in reference points.

• Never fly a drone over restricted areas

Don’t fly drones in “NO DRONE ZONES”

Before you start flying a drone it is important to familiarize yourself with the legislation from the FAA which regulated drones use. It is vital to do so so that you might not land yourself in problems because some people use drones maliciously which is against the law.

Well, flying a drone is like any other hobby but there is a learning curve which requires you to start slow if you want to be good. However there are elements of danger which involves drone if necessary precautions are not taken to ensure safe flight.

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Is using a drone while hunting unethical? – YouTube

Now that you know the right and the wrong things that you can do with your drone, it will be much easier to get a clear scope on some ethical issues governing the use of drones.

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Ethical issues concerning drones

Drones have opened up numerous individual and business opportunities. However, camera drones introduced ethical and legal complications that caught many governments unprepared.

When you hear a drone hovering around your background it makes you uncomfortable, and that is why it is important for every drone owner to understand some ethical considerations before you land into trouble.

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Don’t go peeking through windows with your drone… It is unethical! – And can get you in trouble. Photo provided by: Valentine Lacoste from Unsplash

What Are Drone Ethical Issues?

• Privacy

When drones came into use for recreational and commercial purposes it took the shortest time to implement cameras on them to have a view of any landscape.

However privacy became a crucial issue. This is because the cameras could record footage of people’s private whereabouts or business.
The information captured by these drones could be used for malicious purposes which has prompted relevant authorities to come up with some regulations to address this issue.

Drone Ethical Issues – Don’t fly your drone in “NO DRONE ZONES” – A sign near Slough and Windsor in Berkshire.

Strategies that was brought on board include:

-Government came up with restrictions on drone use. Developing no fly zones for drones and drone companies has to account for privacy issues. Recently Amazon raised eyebrows when it announced that they will make deliveries using drones.

Most people were skeptical about it and they envision cases of drone collisions with buildings. Besides, on the ethical basis, it will attract a lot of privacy issues despite the fact that they are trying to minimize personal contact.

However legislation is slow and poorly implemented hence there is no reliable framework of making drones privacy proof. Therefore since FAA has failed to establish and come up with a tangible solution on this problem then there is need to mobilize drone pilots to be responsible. This is because privacy issues is the biggest challenge to public acceptance on the use of drones.

Drone pilots can implement the following:

• Check with the local laws

Increasing concerns of privacy issues has led to imposition of restrictions by the local government on drone flight. Therefore as a pilot it is wise to brush over these laws to avoid unnecessary conflicts with law enforcement agencies.

• Seek permission from property owners

Before you start flying drones to various destination you need to seek permission from property owners, especially if you are flying commercial drones for roof inspection, Real estate, or aerial view photography. You need to have an agreement whether verbal or written to protect you, your client and the property owner.

• Encourage community based regulations

Commercial drone license encourages adoption of community based voluntary actions that will help in addressing public concerns apart from the known legislation. Such community based forums needs to promote the use of drones etiquette among it’s members which will eventually improve public perception.

• Support better legislation

Drone restrictions and legislation may stifle what the drone operators can do as well as enhancing public confidence. Therefore comprehensive legislation which safeguard privacy issues will lead to purchase of drones thus leading to increase in sell worldwide.

Well the undeniable fact is that drones are here to stay. However privacy issues has been widely discussed when it comes to drone use and there is a need to enact rules and regulations that adequately address it.

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Drones are good and since its invention, there is no other piece of technology which has been reported to have the biggest impact on privacy issues like a drone.

Therefore it is prudent to explore the good uses of drones so that the public can embrace the good work it does so that drones might not end up being obsolete in the public domain due to wrong mentality.

What Are Drone Ethical Issues?

• Safety

Safety is one of the essential ethical considerations that plays a key role in any technological advancement. In this case safety starts with the ability of the user to operate the device well. Safe piloting of drones require effective training of the user on all important aspects straight from its mechanization to piloting.

We have always heard cases of new drone users who have contributed to destruction of public property by carelessly pumping into peoples buildings and other valuables. Therefore any drone user should know that they are responsible for any damage that the drone will cause.

Drones and near misses with airplanes

Another NEAR MISS – Drone flies within 200 ft of Plane –
What Are Drone Ethical Issues?

The most pressing concern is how the drones can affect other aviation operations like cases of low flying aircraft. If a drone collides with a plane it can lead to significant damage of properties as well as endangering the lives of the passengers.

What Happens When a Drone Hits an Airplane Wing? – AINtv YouTube – What Are Drone Ethical Issues?

Drones tracking for malicious activities

Additionally drones can be anonymously used to track somebody’s whereabouts which will facilitate malicious activities such as kidnapping, murder and destruction of property. They can also be used for cyber attacks in Target areas. This implies that inappropriate use of drones makes safety a challenge.

Some terrorists have also capitalized in the use of drones by dropping highly explosive materials to populated areas or prominent infrastructure. Therefore it is evident that the drone safety is overboard which requires immediate measures to address it. When it lands in the hands of the wrong people it can be disastrous.

Drones used by criminals

Criminals’ increasing use of drones. “The Drone Warrior” author Brett Velicovich on criminals’ increasing use of drones and FBN’s Susan Li on and the government’s impact on regulations and innovations in drone technology.

Some have committed crimes and got away with it by using these drones. On the other hand, Is it ethical to ensure the safety when using these devices for it to be relevant gadgets in the society?

Are we gaining the safest aerospace?

The FAA goal on provision of the safest aerospace systems in the world seems it has not been achieved. Therefore to address some of these cases developers in the United States from the Air Force Institute of Technology are trying to eliminate the aspect of having a human pilot.

They are trying to incorporate a , (wikipedia) which gives visual feedback using a camera with pattern based software to enhance safety of the drone. The standards that needs to be considered for safety involves writing the finished product in a safe and secure manner by following the development process at meets the required standards.

What Are Drone Ethical Issues? – Aerial Assets: Drones in Law Enforcement

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What Are Drone Ethical Issues? – Coding?

Additionally the coding should be highly programmed to ensure the safety of the drone. This is because any drone can be considered safe if its operation has been limited from a hostile intruder. Therefore safety of drones is crucial, and it should be addressed straight from its manufacturing.

The FAA needs to come up with a way in which to determine its activities and their respective owners. No drone should be allowed to operate without the consent of legal authorities. And even more, the public should also be educated on their rights so that drone owners can’t use such a platform to spy on them unknowingly.

It is also good to be inquisitive anytime you spot a drone operator and try to find out what he or she is doing, so that we can minimize future safety issues.

Security on the use of drones

However it is undeniable that if we utilize these drones well, we can be in a better position because it does some things that are beyond human reach. However, there was a complaint on the security regarding the use of drones. This was due to the fact that the drones were majorly used in military and surveillance. Most drones were used as eye in the sky to monitor terrorism activities.

Therefore, with rampant bombing in various cities people felt insecure about the drones because the enemy might be using it to fight its way back. It is essential that ethical issues regarding the use of drones should be taken with the seriousness it deserves before it gets out of hand.

• Public Nuisances

People are very alert to any aerospace body that flies above their heads. A study showed that a good number of people normally look at the sky when an airplane or helicopter flies over them which implies there is an element of distraction. Therefore when someone sees a drone hovering it brings about sense of discomfort when it buzzes all over.

Noisy Drones attract attention

Some drones are very noisy which attracts people’s attention and leaves them suspicious especially the low-altitude drones. Additionally some have used drones in filming movies from a moving vehicle in the roads which can be inappropriate. Chances are that accidents might occur because of diverted attention.

On the same note flying a drone over restricted areas can also be a nuisance which should be taken with the legal action that it deserves. Therefore the manufacturers should come up with less noisy drones which will not disrupted the serenity and comfort of the people.

Drone pilots should also be encouraged not to fly drones in crowded places where it will attract attention. It is some of these reasons that public opinions on the use of drones is mostly negative. This implies that there are some ethical considerations that needs to be adhered to if the drone users are to win the trust of the public.

• Follow the given regulations

Drone users should know that their devices are just like any other recreational hobbies or vehicles that can invade privacy or cause significant damage to others. Therefore drone users need to obtain a license to be allowed to legally fly a drone in a public setting.

For anyone to be eligible to obtain a license you need to undertake a series of classes where you will be accessed on basic rules that governs the use of drones.

Some of these regulations include: –

• Documenting and keeping track of the the type of drone a person uses.
• Registration of any purchased drone
• The drone must be flown within the sight of the operator to ensure that the drone is within safe limits where it can’t collide with pedestrians or an aircraft.

Drone users need to be aware of no go zone areas to maintain safety of the airspace.

If you practice recreational drone flying, these regulations are meant to govern the safety and privacy of other people. However rules and regulations may vary depending on the state which requires any drone user to get acquainted with such laws.

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The issue of drone misuse has been taken seriously in legal platforms and it is important to act within the given regulations. Therefore if all the ethical considerations are upheld drones will have positive attitude among the public.

What Are Drone Ethical Issues? Conclusion:

In this article I have covered all the possible areas that a drone user should understand. Drones are useful and they play important roles in the society. Therefore it is equally important to use them for the right purpose. Some people use drones for recreational purposes which is acceptable so long as it doesn’t cause harm to other people.

The concerns from public domain has made legal authorities to develop rules and regulations which governs the way drones should be operated. These rules helps to improve the safety of the user and the other people .

What Are Drone Ethical Issues? Final:

To wrap it up, we all play an important role to any technological advancement. Therefore there are many useful ways we can benefit from the drones if we put it into good use. It is vital to understand the ethics governing the use of these drones and abide by them. Let us observe ethics.

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