Discussion about increased regulations for unmanned aerial vehicles — we call them drones — opens up an avenue for an interesting debate.
The Obama administration is considering mandatory registration for recreational drones, the kind that hobbyists are purchasing by the hundreds of thousands for the purposes of entertainment and YouTube videos. Commercial drone operators already must register their vehicles, and yet it is with the smaller, more prevalent recreational drones that there is room for discussion.
The administration is correct to pursue increased regulation. Drones are not always harmless toys, as demonstrated earlier this year when the Federal Aviation Administration received 12 reports of drones flying dangerously close to airplanes in a single day. Or when a flock of drones prevented planes from dropping water on wildfires in California because of concern over a possible collision. Or when a woman at a parade in Seattle was struck in the head and knocked unconscious by a drone.
The incidents are increasing in number as the use of drones increases. The FAA has received nearly 1,000 reports this year of drones coming close to airplanes — nearly four times as many as all of last year. It does not take a staunch belief in Murphy’s Law to suggest that it is only a matter of time before a recreational drone brings down a plane by damaging a propeller or crashing into a windshield. It is estimated that nearly 1 million drones will be purchased as gifts this coming holiday season.
Recreational drone operators are required to keep the vehicles below 400 feet of altitude and to not fly them near airports. But requirements are too often viewed as mere suggestions by irresponsible operators. Because of that, the federal government is expected to seek mandatory registration of drones when new rules are proposed no later than Nov. 20. “It’s a matter of responsibility that we will take seriously,” Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said. “We want to ramp up on enforcement.”
That is what opens the door for debate. There are ongoing questions about government intrusion and regulation and oversight in this country, and such questions are part of a healthy democracy. Drones have long been on the radar of civil libertarians for their potential use as instruments of spying by the government, and safeguards should be in place to limit that potential. But personal drones bring up a more difficult set of questions about how far the government should go to regulate recreation.
Those are legitimate questions, but in the end, the overriding consideration must be one of public safety. Modern drones can fly high enough to present a danger to airplanes, and they can come equipped with enough maneuverability and camera equipment to allow individuals to spy on neighbors. Because of that, requiring registration and working to enhance education efforts for drone use would be a reasonable step by the federal government.
Getting a handle on the issues involved — something the FAA clearly was not prepared for when drone use increased exponentially in the past year — would help ensure that the benefits of private drone use can be realized. For businesses, public safety and, yes, recreation, the potential of the burgeoning industry is just now being realized.
Requiring drone registration would not prevent misuse by irresponsible owners, just as vehicle registration does not eliminate lousy drivers. But it would be the reasonable end result of what should be a robust debate.
