Posted on 01/27/2015 3:27:35 PM PST by Libloather
President Obama on Tuesday said the U.S. needs to create a “regulatory structure” for the domestic use of drones — one day after a small, unmanned quad copter was discovered on the South Lawn of the White House.
“There are incredibly useful functions that these drones can play in terms of farmers who are managing crops and conservationists who want to take stock of wildlife,” Obama told CNN.
He noted that companies like Amazon are experimenting with using drones to deliver packages. “But we don't really have any kind of regulatory structure at all for it,” he added.
The president said he had asked the federal government to work with outside groups to create a regulatory framework. He said the framework should preserve privacy and safety while allowing for innovation, and likened the effort to the early days of the Internet.
“These technologies that we're developing have the capacity to empower individuals in ways that we couldn't even imagine 10 to 15 years ago,” Obama said.
The president’s call for additional regulations echoed a statement issued by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) after the drone crash on the White House lawn on Monday.
“With the discovery of an unauthorized drone on the White House lawn, the eagle has crash-landed in Washington; there is no stronger sign that clear FAA guidelines for drones are needed,” Schumer said in a statement.
“Drones are an important new technology that will boost businesses, aid in storm preparedness and recovery, assist agricultural development and more, but rules to protect the safety and privacy of the American people must keep pace, and I am calling on the FAA and OMB to get these long-delayed regulations on the books,” Schumer continued.
The Secret Service said Tuesday that a government employee had called the agency Monday morning to admit he was the one who had been flying the approximately two-foot drone that crashed on the southeast side of the White House complex. The crash caused a lockdown of the White House and raised new questions about the threat to the executive mansion from similar devices that could be holding explosives.
Obama said the drone that crashed at his home was something “you buy in Radio Shack” but deferred questions about White House security to the Secret Service.
“This is a broader problem. I’ll leave the Secret Service to talk about this particular event,” Obama said.
“I’ve been flying RC aircraft for more than 50 years. Why do we just need FAA regulations now if it hasn’t been a problem for half a century?”
I’ve been flying full size aircraft for nearly forty years. Only once did I have a problem with an RC aircraft. I was in the traffic pattern for the airport, and I had a RC P-51 Mustang flying next to me.
I hate additional regs, but drones are the hot commodity and irresponsible people are getting their hands on them. We’ve always had regs about drones. The regs prohibit aircraft operating in certain areas, such as restricted, prohibited, or areas where ATC communication is required. So if you operate an aircraft (drone or otherwise) in those areas, you are violating regs that have been around for decades.
Do we need new regs? I dunno. But the guy who flew one toward the White House was probably in violation from the moment it departed due to the proximity of the regulated airspace surrounding the White House.
Let’s see, you probably belong to the AMA, have insurance, and fly at sanctioned meets, at approved areas. Why I’ll bet you even have a colored streamer on your transmitter so other flyers know what frequency you are using.
I also imagine that you have built your own planes, enjoying the labor of love, and the frustration when you “pranged” one.
The thing now is, any clown can go into Radio Shack with a hundred bucks, buy a quad copter, put batteries in it, and terrorize the neighborhood.
“The thing now is, any clown can go into Radio Shack with a hundred bucks, buy a quad copter, put batteries in it, and terrorize the neighborhood.”
No, No, No... The cheap ones fly from your ipad or android tablet and have a range as far as 802.11, maybe a hundred feet or so. Your not going to terrorize the neighborhood with that.
If it was indeed from radio shack, it was being flown from the white house. It came in and out through the front gate...
I;m sick of hearing the Brown Clown’s drone whenever somethig irritates him.
oh yes, they start running into his hood, now he cares.
Now that ISIS says they want to chop his head off I expect a different reaction from the chicken leg in charge.
“oooh Andy...”
They can pass a reg that says that no drone can be sold unless the control module will shut it down if it receives a particular signal. Then place transmitters of that signal all around the White House.
If I see a drone over my property, it WILL be shot down. Don’t care about the legality. I’ll just say that I thought it was a killer bat or something, and I was protecting my children, as I was in fear for their lives(and mine), or some such BS.
Wait till the mosquito drones start being used
There are now hummingbird drones. Saw the vid. Not going to find the link.
What window does it fly into and for what purpose.
I'm tired of giving up FREEDOM!!!!! Look at the FREEDOM we've lost in the past 10 years ... this is TOTALLY out of control! Remember when they tried to ban CB Radios? Well the same is going to happen with this, you can buy the parts at Walmart! Time for some civil disobedience!
“Do we need new regs? I dunno. But the guy who flew one toward the White House was probably in violation from the moment it departed due to the proximity of the regulated airspace surrounding the White House.”
Exactly! It’s already heavily regulated airspace in the vicinity of the White House.
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