Like it or not, the drones are coming. Delivery services, construction and real estate companies, farmers, and of course photographers and filmmakers will all use them extensively—just as soon as government regulators clear the way.
One of the technical challenges still to be overcome is the problem of how to manage all that new air traffic buzzing around below 400 feet.
A group at NASA’s Ames Research Center, defense contractor Exelis, and a 12-person startup out of Portland, Oregon called SkyWard, are among those working the problem of drone traffic control.
Read all about it in my first outing with Bloomberg BusinessWeek: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-09/drone-makers-seek-traffic-control
Yes this is why the FAA is taking so long to implement rules and regulation. Another problem is obstacle avoidance. Drones need to be smart enough to detect a collision and avoid. The technology is getting close and some of the big players have already been testing this technology.
Excellent point, Mike. I see that you’re in the drone sales business in Canada. What’s it been like for your customers to get approvals (or not!) to fly drones commercially there?
Drones are going to continue to create a larger set of challenges for regulators and traffic controllers across the globe. In the US we see more potential issues taking place as more and more hobbyist begin using drones. We need better training for hobbyist, clearer best practices and laws, and, unfortunately, punishments for those that violate these laws.
Drones are playing a large role in many businesses and this trend is going to continue. I look forward to seeing the commercial market continue to grow, to hobbyist using drones responsibly, and to many more thoughtful conversations ahead.