Drones are undoubtedly one of the coolest pieces of modern technology in society today.

They do play a major role in obtaining information for certain organizations, but should they have been released to the public for personal use?

Me personally, I own a drone. I rarely use this drone, but when I do I fly it around for fun with a GoPro attached so I can save the drones captured adventures. This is what the drone’s purpose is, it is not to be used for criminal activities.

Should drones be this available to the public with the threat of them being used for criminal activities?

No. Drones should not have been released to the public.

Drones, or quad-copters,  should only be available to organizations that need to use their abilities to obtain information, such as photos and video footage that an individual could not obtain by themselves. For example, drones can fly over events and record video and take pictures for news crews, scientists, geological surveys, and even law enforcement.

Anyone can buy a drone, but a drone is not a toy like a remote control helicopter, it is classified a commercial aircraft like an airplane. Once an individual purchases a drone they need to register it with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) so they won’t get fined while using it. This may not sound like a threat, but once they have purchased and registered the drone they can do with it as they please.

Drone registration is a simple process of paying a $5 fee to fill out an application and then waiting for your registration numbers and labels for your drone.

If one is caught using a unregistered drone there are fines and possibly prison time that must be paid and served. A civil penalty is a fine up to $27,000 and a criminal penalty is a fine up to $250,000 and may also by coupled with up to three years in prison.

Some drones are equipped with a video camera where you can fly the drone far away and use that video camera to record and see where the drone is.

If put in the hands of delinquents they can modify their drone with software capable of stealing personal information without a person even knowing it. They can also go unnoticed and look into windows of different houses, therefore invading an individual’s privacy.

According the Washington Post “The U.S. Military is rightfully worried that drones weaponized as killing machines can become autonomous flying IEDs that target a specific individual by facial recognition.”

There have also been cases of drones being used to ship drugs to different locations. According to mic.com a drone flew over an Ohio correctional facility carrying pot, tobacco, and heroin. The drone dropped these items over a prison yard which caused the prisoners to fight over these items.

Also authorities have arrested a man named Duane Holmes for conducting surveillance over a police station using a drone. These crimes can be prevented with different drone regulations or even drones becoming illegal for the public to use. The future of drones has yet to be determined and could either end with a positive or negative outcome.

If the legality of drones does not change, they should be well regulated on who can buy them. Safety precautions should be taken in the steps of purchasing a drone to protect the innocent by-standards in the event of a threat.