Obama signed an aviation bill that would open the skies (300 feet high in altitude) to unmanned aircraft systems, also known as drones. The most important questions that have been asked are concerns about the low altitude in which the drones would be flying regularly. A few of the many questions include, what would stop a terrorist flying one of the drones at tree high altitude and plow through a few civilians. And would peoples privacy be declined because of the drones taking pictures at low altitudes in backyards and windows. An answer to the privacy question formed by officials is that the drones are merely flying through public air space.
There is also another part of the airspace in which the drones would be flying. The stratosphere. It is mostly empty in human activity. This layer will be increasingly populated by solar powered drones that would travel at bicycle speeds. High resolution cameras on their underside would take pictures of the population in city's.
One of the drones that would be used in the stratosphere is called the zephyr, a high altitude, solar powered drone, designed by the British company QinetiQ. It weighs about 120 pounds and has a wingspan of about 74 feet! This is quite incredible because it weighs just 120 pounds.
Although drones seem new. They are actually quite common. For example, a satellite up in orbit is a drone. And most military forces contain drones that are called UAVs or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. A helicopter toy that you got for Christmas or your birthday would be considered as a drone.
What will these drones be able to see? They will record the route and speed of auto mobiles and other land vehicles. They will observe the movements of individual pedestrians. They will also observe when people turn off the lights in their houses at night. The information gathered by the drones would be sent to smart meters and mobile devices.
1. Would you be worried of drones taking pictures of you in your daily life?
2. Do you think that it is a requirement to have these drones?
