General Discussion
Showing Original Post only (View all)Why UAVs and Other Drones Won't be Used Frequently [View all]
Despite the concerns many people have about domestic use of UAV's, the reality is that they aren't going to be flying over your neighborhood constantly. Here's why:
1. Drones are expensive to buy and maintain.
2. Drones require trained operators when used.
How will these UAV's be used, mostly?
1. Searching for missing persons. Already, a UAV has been used in Texas to find the body of a missing child in terrain that was almost inaccessible to ground searchers.
2. Locating violent criminals who are fleeing from police. Right now, helicopters are the primary way such searches are done. Helicopters are even more expensive to own and operate, and require professional pilots and ground crews. UAV's will reduce costs for such searches.
3. Pin-pointing the positions of armed people holding hostages or firing weapons at civilians or police. That has already happened and the capture was achieved without any loss of life.
4. Monitoring large crowds. They will be used for this, almost certainly.
5. In disaster situations, such as floods and wildfires, and after events like tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes. Drones will be widely used in such situations to monitor conditions and locate people in danger, so that rescue crews can get to them more quickly.
How will they NOT be used:
1. To "take people out." That's simply not going to one of the ways these drones are used. Armed drones won't be flying domestically, I'm quite certain.
2. To spy on people in general. Too damned expensive for that. The ubiquitous "security" cameras already can do that at far lower expense. There aren't enough drones on the planet to use for this purpose, and won't be.
When will you like having UAVs available?
1. If your child goes missing.
2. If someone you care about is involved in a natural disaster, missing somewhere, or needs to be located after some accident.
3. If some violent armed idiot is in your neighborhood or at your child's school.
Then, you'll think that UAVs are just fine.