Aircraft Tech is Soaring Past Regulations
If you’re into aircraft tech, you’re living in a golden age.
There have been so many advancements in technology over the past few years. Between flight tracking apps and better equipment, there’s so much to be excited about.
Drones have become so popular recently that it’s changing people’s everyday lives. But this fun past time has opened up a whole host of legal problems. From usage to ownership issues, drones are the latest talking point in the aircraft tech world.
Aircraft Tech Soars Ahead of the Law
One of the problems with drones and other new aviation tech is that laws haven’t caught up to the technology yet. People are piloting equipment that could be used for surveillance, defense, and other purposes with little consequences from the law.
An investigation from The Independent found that drone related police calls surged a whopping 352% in 2015 alone. Many of these calls could be blamed on the fact that drones still occupy a murky legal space in the UK.
How would the police prosecute someone that was spying on a private resident? To take it a step further, how could they prove that someone was using their drone for nefarious purposes?
As you can see, the legal implications of drone use haven’t been examined in-depth. That lack a examination is bound to cause problems.
The Dark Side of Drones
To most hobbyists a drone is just a fun piece of equipment you can fly and take cool pictures with. But what about the people that would use a drone for illegal purposes?
Since drones are already used to take photos and video, who’s to say that they couldn’t be used to spy on people? Drones have been used to execute military attacks, so why couldn’t a commercial drone be outfitted with weapons?
There is no such thing as “good” or “bad” technology, but tech can be used for “good” or “bad” things depending on who is using it.
That brings us to the next big question people have about drones…
Who Can Own a Drone?
As of right now, there isn’t any kind of regulation on who can buy a drone.
Anyone could easily order a drone online or walk into a store and buy one regardless of their criminal background.
An unregulated buying market makes drone aircraft tech risky. Because there’s no regulation on who can buy, dangerous people could get their hands on advanced technology.
Imagine if a convicted burglar was able to get their hands on a drone. They may use it to look for an easier way to look inside house and decide which homes to target.
What if someone with a previous domestic violence or stalking charges was able to have a drone?
They could find a way to keep track of their victims without having to worry about breaking parole.
No Clear Answer
As you can see, legal matters should be on the mind of anyone interested in aircraft.
As this technology advances and becomes more widespread, lawmakers need to find a way to keep up with changes and protect people.
How do you think about the future of drones and the law? Should we start to restrict who can own and operate drones? Tell us your opinion in the comments section! And if you have any questions about aircraft tech, contact us so we can help.