With recent events showing drones (or more importantly, irresponsible owners) at a bad light, popularity of drones may be on the decline. Accountability of the owner must be held at a high regard in these cases.
Everyone has heard of the Gatwick Airport incident, which shut down the very busy airport for over 24 hours. To make matters worse, this was in the middle of the holiday season. Anyone and everyone were planning to go places, whether on vacation or coming back home for relaxation. The drone incident sparked outrage from nearly everyone, as it caused delays in plane departures and arrivals.
Are Drones in the Wrong?
However, the vilification on the entire story lies solely on the drone itself, and not its owners. Why is that? Is a drone truly a destructive piece of technology? Many places worldwide now restrict drone regulations even more, in an attempt to prevent a future ‘Gatwick’ from happening.
But the true source of this drone-plane collision issue is in the hands of the owner. A drone would not fly anywhere without its owner’s discretion. Most of the time, these owners are looking for the perfect shot – a photo for their social media. They fly drones without taking into account the surroundings, as well as the effect of a mishandled drone on the people around.
Accountability for the Owner
A good step in this case is tightening measures when selling drones. Now, talks of background checks could be a requirement soon when purchasing a drone. Other ideas involve license plates, tests before one can fly, as well as tagging and registration. These put the owner at the spotlight, and their actions can be traced back to them.
Increasing Accountability
Drones, if in the wrong place at the wrong time, have the capability of taking down an entire plane on their own. One direct hit at a plane’s engine can send a plane crashing. That is why air space for planes is a no-drone zone. However, these regulations never seem to matter at the hands of an irresponsible owner.
