TOPIC ‖ DRONES CONTEMPORARY MATTERS PPRI
LUNCH
SERIES
PPRI lunch series
Drones
Faculty across disciplines, from cross-cutting
Drones are growing in popularity, developing
STEM fields, humanities, and social sciences,
in capability, and varying in their use at a faster
discuss a common topic or contemporary
rate than safety and security regulations can
matter from the lens of their field. The
develop. A more robust and in-depth
conversation is open to all participants in the
understanding of critical issues is needed to
room, bringing the strength of the collective
develop fresh approaches and alternative
disciplines to bear on a wicked problem.
policy solutions to address these problems as they arise.
Experts
Sarah Hubbard Aaron Hoffman Aviation Tech Political Science
Dan Kelly Philosophy
Brett Crawford Management
Brian Kozak Aviation Tech
PURDUE POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Tyler Spence PPRI
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued an initial policy statement in regards to drones and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in 2012, which outlined the necessity for a comprehensive plan to integrate UAS into the national air space system (NAS) by 2015. This has yet to be completed. The group acknowledged possible gaps in the policies where this new and changing technology is not taken into account or the effects have not been fully realized. Most of the policy issued is centered on registration, privacy, civil liberties protections, and safety and security, individually. However, a comprehensive policy direction that takes all of these topics into account has yet to be outlined.
Governance: Today & Tomorrow It is unknown if drone flight is an issue of federal
Regulations do prohibit drone operators from
airspace or if state and local authorities should be
deploying their small aircraft into spaces where any
regulating UAS flight and usage. Panel experts
kind of commercial or private aircraft would be
suggest Federal oversight by the FAA coupled with
flying, but this can be challenging to enforce, If a
local enforcement is best, as the ability for these
drone were to enter this restricted airspace, air
local bodies to establish regulations that are specific
traffic controllers and pilots would have no way of
and beneficial to their areas would likely improve
communicating with the operator, and this could
compliance. However, as one panelist pointed out,
be a potential collision risk. Current regulations
local FAA authorities currently oversee local flight
state the drone operator must keep the drone in
standards and often have a hard time handling the
their line of sight, as to avoid colliding with other
current manned aircraft. If local regulators are
drones. Radio transmitters have been developed
expected to handle manned and unmanned aircraft
that can seize control of drones in emergency
together, it may be difficult to ensure safe and
situations. This could be a potential solution to stop
efficient airspace management.
drones that enter restricted airspace.
Integration into airspace management can also be a
Drones also have corporate applications, and it is
challenge for air traffic controllers and drone
not known if or how regulatory oversight will
operators.
impede their development, use, or bottom line. PURDUE
POLICY
RESEARCH
INSTITUTE
Privacy The right to privacy and property rights are also an issue when considering drone/UAS policy. The ownership of airspace above an individual citizen’s home and owned property is not clearly established by law, as one panelist pointed out. It is not clear if drone operators have the legal right to fly an UAS over a private citizen’s home and record what is seen without their permission. Different standards and interpretations have been suggested, but no clear “correct” answer has
Current retail drones are loud and easily spotted, due to their relatively low
been identified.
flight ceiling, but military and corporate drones have the ability to fly
It is not known if or how
powered cameras. It is likely only a matter of time before retail technology
drones could be used for spying on citizens by domestic or foreign entities. -->
undetected by the public and have the capability to be fitted with highcatches up and becomes significantly easier to use without detection. This presents a serious privacy issue for many Americans and presents a regulatory and policy challenge as drone technology becomes more advanced and more readily available for government, commercial and private consumption.
Did You Know...? The FAA now requires some drones to be registered with the government. There are 86 consumer drone models available, and 57 of these models MUST be registered. Drone operators should also pass the Part 107 AKT for a license to operate drones! For more info and to register your drone, visit: http://registermyuas.faa.gov image via www.federaldroneregistration.com
PURDUE
POLICY
RESEARCH
INSTITUTE
Moral & Ethical Issues Many moral and ethical issues are raised by the use of drones and these issues are similar to many found in other developing automation fields. In military warfare, drones have demonstrated ability to execute more precise weapons attacks, lowering the number of civilian causalities. Civilians in war-torn regions have voiced their approval of these precision strikes. However, it has been reported that civilians adjacent to these areas have a negative perception of the drone strikes, despite having little real experience with them. Nonetheless, this negative attention creates a public relations challenge for UAS warfare. In order to continue funding their development and use, it is critical that social acceptance of their participation in war is gained. It is also unknown how drone strikes are to be interpreted in domestic war laws and international war courts. President Obama conducted drone strikes in Africa and the Middle East without notice or approval of Congress, as drones are considered machines and not human warfare. This was seen as somewhat subversive behavior that exploited a loophole in the law and highlights a clear gap in how policy has fallen behind UAS technology.
Panel Highlights A rising number of drone pilots are reporting PTSD from bombing missions. Could consumers weaponize commercial drones? Could they be programmed to kill like a gun? PURDUE
POLICY
What level of risk will society accept with drones? Will deaths via drone be normalized? Drone vs. drone warfare - new skill set that has yet to be developed. How to define drone warcrimes? RESEARCH
INSTITUTE