Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are controlled by remotes or pre programed flight plans. Most of us use the term drones for UAV’s. There are multiple uses for UAVs commercially and military. Used commercially for aerial photos, film making, farming, land surveying and hurricane hunting. The FAA does regulate the use of drones and gives interested flyers two options to obtain the approval from the FAA. 1) Section 333 Exemption; allowing you to exemption in accordance with civil certificate waiver and section 333. This only allows you to operate in low risk area. 2) Special Airworthiness Certificate; which requires you to able to describe everything in detail about the aircraft and you must show you intent to fly and where you plan on flying (FAA,2015). The FAA’s main goal is safety so naturally when there are things flying in the sky you must have rules to maintain safety.
I absolutely think that UAVs will be integrated into the NAS. It would be ridiculous not to. I know there are obstacles to be able to do that but the outcome of doing it will be worth it. We are already putting good use to them by saving money economically and environmentally.From what I read, it seems like this is going to happen sooner than later. Some of the obstacles could be the perception from the public knowing that the air space allows manned and unmanned flying. Another problem would be how air traffic controller would be able to communicate with the drone operators.
Using drones in the military, I'm sure saved many lives. They use drones like Predator and Reaper with missiles to destroy and spy all while operating from miles away(National Geographic 2013). They use smaller drones for cameras and with special sensors to detect chemicals and other harmful materials. Again, using drones is saving money for the military and its good for the environment since the military isn't using fuel for the jets. Ethically, I’m not sure what is right but if the current method is helping the military save lives then we should continue to use drones.
I found a couple links for jobs postings with UAVs:
2. http://money.cnn.com/2014/11/25/news/drone-pilot-degree/
References:
1. Unmanned Flight. (n.d.). Retrieved October 6, 2015, from http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2013/03/unmanned-flight/horgan-text
2. What Role Should the FAA Play in Regulating Civilian Drones? (n.d.). Retrieved October 6, 2015, from http://www.govtech.com/products/What-Role-Should-the-FAA-Play-in-Regulating-Civilian-Drones.html
3. Civil Operations (Non-Governmental). (n.d.). Retrieved October 6, 2015, from https://www.faa.gov/uas/civil_operations/
I agree with you that drones are saving lives in the military aspect, however I feel that cost is going to be an important factor. These things are not cheap, a smaller drone can cost up to $5000. The larger, military grade drones are going to cost a hefty amount. That being said, when they are put into battle or situations where they may be targeted, they can be shot down or damaged greatly resulting in more costs. I know that you can't put an amount on a human life and a soldier's life is more important than a drone but it is something to be considered.
ReplyDeleteThe predator drone and the globalhawk are the pinnacle of military drone aviation and save a countless number of lives in the process but I really hope they do not incorporate themselves into the NAS.
ReplyDeleteThe problem I see with UAVs being used in the NAS is that with the turmoil our country is in at the moment, who is to say that they won't be used to spy on the American people, and also who is to say that they will not be used against us? It is much easier for one person to be persuaded to initiate a drone strike against Americans than it is to get an entire military to do so.
ReplyDeleteThe question of is using UAVs in the military ethical, was one of the hardest question to answer for me. Three days after writing my response and after a lot of thinking I still cannot answer this question. Is choosing your life over another ethical? I’m not sure but I do agree that if it is helping the military save lives then we should utilize them.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you're saying about the integration of UAVs. It only makes sense, and it will only help drive the industry and the country further. The integration will take time, and it will take money, but the investment can only be positive in the long term. Whether people want to admit it or not, integration and automation are the future, especially in this industry.
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