“Drones can save lives, if the government lets them”
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“Drones set to become the biggest threat to national
security”
Two very different quotes- representing the two very
different viewpoints on the emergence of drones today. Drones can be used on
the consumer level for kids and adults who want to have fun flying around a
little device, business such as Amazon who are looking into shipping using
drones, and on the other end of the spectrum drones could be used for military
or government uses in war or surveillance purposes. There are clearly pros and
cons to the use of drones in today’s society, however what might the downsides
be.
Pros: According to a recent article by Joe Rinzel, he
followed a project of transporting blood across the Arizona desert to a patient
in critical condition. The flight took 3 hours, and the blood samples arrived
in perfect condition unharmed. This innovative way to transport medical necessities
is game changer- as it is a quicker alternative to retrieve vital materials for
patients. This example represents a great example of how drones are a positive use
in today’s society, however many regulations will have to be put into motion to
mandate the drone usage.
Cons: With the rise in companies using drones for business,
we also see potential threats involved. One risk of utilizing drones is their
security vulnerability. Hackers are getting smarter in the ways they penetrate drones,
which opens doors for massive problems. For example, Amazon plans to implement shipping
options utilizing drones, however one could tamper with the drone carrying precious
cargo. In an even more extreme instance of risky drone usage, is for government
and military use. The government utilizes unmanned drones to spy and
investigate activity in unknown areas. As there are currently no regulations on
where drones can fly, this creates openings for individuals to fly a drone
carrying a grenade or bomb and drop it in a highly populated area.
All in all, drone usage has stimulated much publicity in
society for the many pros and cons they have. What are your thoughts on drone
activity today?
What is your opinion of drones being used in warfare? Do you
think this is a good idea?
Have you ever used a drone for pleasure?
Do you see vulnerabilities in drone used for shipping?
Sources:
Hey Josh,
ReplyDeleteWhat an exquisite post! I really enjoyed reading it. Now let me answer those questions you had listed there.
1) As you touched on it your tech briefing, I find that drone technology advancing as fast as it has today is really exciting. I currently see more pros to cons in its current uses but definitely see how cons can arise if people misuse them. All in all, for right now, I don't think there are enough negative incidents of drone misuse to prompt for strict regulations to be put in place just yet. I love the things that you mentioned that drones could be used for that I never even thought of before like transporting medical supplies to hard-to-reach locations in a quicker response time than other vehicles.
2) I think that using drones in warfare is a very effective measure to use in order keep humans out of harm's way when they are available to use. However, I understand the complexity and large expense behind them.
3) I have not used a drone yet for fun but I hope to sometime soon! I just have to find a friend that does.
4) I definitely see there being vulnerabilities with drone usage in terms of shipping due to hacking and physical damage being done. I think the only way to prevent both of those types of incidents from occurring is by installing cybersecurity software into the drone operating system and by installing cameras on the drones to track any attacks on them.
Take care from Tucson, Arizona,
Troy Caber
Hi Josh,
ReplyDeleteYou have brought up some interesting points. Drone technological continues to advance and people are still discovering and commercializing new uses for them. Drones have paved the way for other products as well such as drone parachutes (see https://fruitychutes.com/ for example).
I think drones can and should be used in warfare. As Troy already pointed out, this can reduce the need to put humans in danger and can solve various purposes from surveillance to weapons/explosives deployment and more. Regarding security, I think the Government would make it a priority to keep their drones extremely secure just as they would for all other Government technologies and networks.
I have never used a drone but would love to and think they are a great "pleasure' hobby. However, they can be dangerous if not operated correctly so I believe people should be required to have some sort of drone license and required minimum age to fly, especially in public areas versus private property.
I think using drones for shipping has greater benefits than it does costs. Sure, hackers may be able to hack into drones, but I believe as companies use this method more they will work to better safeguard drones against these hacks. Moreover, I do not think hackers have as much incentive to hack a drone carrying a single package vs. hacking a database of personally identifiable information, etc. Criminals could also simply steal packages from doorsteps and follow delivery trucks around. It is my personal opinion that most hackers would not make the effort to hack a drone carrying consumer packages.
The example in the article about being able to transport medical supplies to a person in danger or need was an eye-opener for me. It made me think about people lost in the desert and dehydrated. It makes me think about using drones to find people who are lost or even to find criminals on the run. This can often be a much cheaper and easier means versus using a full-sized helicopter for the same purpose.
Indeed, while there are some security concerns and other potential issues, there are dozens of uses for drones that I think we will begin to see more and more as time progresses and the technology advances.
Hey Josh,
ReplyDeleteI really thought your post was interesting. I am still on the fence with drones. I think they are a really cool tool for transportation such as Amazon and the transportation of blood, like you stated in your article. But I can't help to think of what the sky will look like in 5-10 years with drones just flying everywhere and nothing but buzzing from the propellers.
I think it will be a really interesting debate on the future of drones and their place in society.
Josh,
ReplyDeleteVery interesting look at two viewpoints regarding drones. I have not personally flown one, but I am interested in their use as well. I see many different avenues in which drones can become successful. Two of those are areas you pointed out: business and warfare.
Shipping and delivery through drones can be extremely quick. I do not see much of a difference in terms of item safety if the item was being delivered via drone, plane, or truck. I think an item is just as likely to be damaged in each example. The only worry I would have here is if the drone is easily hacked a thief could commandeer the delivery point and the package. It is also a point of concern legally as there are some cities and areas, like New York City, that have flight restrictions and it would be interesting to see how larger companies, like Amazon, will address these. In addition to shipping, I also see use for other businesses. Roofing companies or other construction organizations can use drones to view areas that might be risky to send employees too. Real estate companies can also utilize this technology to showcase a property or help clients overview a larger area without driving or just viewing pictures. In addition, photography companies can use drones to create aerial footage of shoots or events. This website, http://knowbeforeyoufly.org/, provides information on the regulations and rules drone users must abide by whether they are recreational users, business users, or public entities.
As for drone use in warfare, it seems like a good use. Drones provide the ability for militaries to survey and potentially attack without putting military personnel in danger. In addition, their smaller size makes it easier to uncover hide outs and research the landscape. However, drone use in warfare has a ways to go in terms of improvements needed. If countries begin using drones more frequently, laws will need to come out in terms of no-fly zones, just as it has with other aircrafts. In addition, the security level of drones must be increased greatly because if they are captured by enemies, they can be hacked and potentially lose critical information.
It will be interesting to watch how drone use increases throughout society and how industries will evolve to adjust to this use and the benefits it may provide.
Hi Josh,
ReplyDeleteAlthough I do not own a drone or know anyone who does, I have had several encounters with drones, both positive and negative. The first experience was for filming a video, and the drone user just used the drone to take a video from above. However, I've had a negative experience when a drone (from an unknown user) appeared on my balcony of my apartment and just hung out there for a couple minutes. I did not know what it was doing there, and left the room since I was uncomfortable with it being there. This leads me to my next point: The use of drones is going to be inevitable because they do have strong advantages, however there will always be a flip side where people use drones for the wrong reason. Technology now-a-days is easily exploited by people, and when ethical practices are not used properly, technology can lead to one persons gain and another persons loss. For example, credit card fraud is still a huge issue because technology was used improperly by some, and resulted in ruining others lives. What do you think people could do to feel safer with the increasing demands for drones? Do you think there needs to be a code of ethics for drone users that clearly lay out what you can use a drone for and what you cannot? Very interesting topic, thank you for sharing.