As of right now, the drone industry is booming, and business is good. We are witnessing a growing number of YouTube videos that are shot using a UAV. However, what is the extent of drone technology? While yes, it has helped save lives; we cannot ignore the fact that drones need to be regulated. We have put together a list of ways that drones are being misused. Check it out and let us know what you think of it;
Disruptive Forces For Commercial Airplanes
A number of United Kingdom airports had to deal with rogue drones on the Christmas. What sounds like a petty problem caused a delay in air travel of thousands of people. This problem is becoming grander day by day, and some airports face 19-21 disruptions a month thanks to the drones. This usually requires a response by the local security forces.
The problem is the risk of collision. A drone making contact with the commercial plane or flying into the engine of the dual plane can wreak havoc. A study was recently conducted by the University of Dayton where the team used a 2.1-pound DJI Phantom 2 quadcopter. The said drone was flown into the wing of a Mooney M20 aircraft. The test concluded that such a scenario is quite destructive and must be avoided.
Spying
Another misuse of the drone is using the drones for spying purposes. We all know that many drones in the market can be equipped with an HD camera. While that is amazing when it comes to making movies and taking pictures of you and your friends; it also has the potential of spying on people. Paparazzi agencies also make use of drones for spying on famous and rich people. Luckily new tech is already out that can help you identify if a drone is spying on you and even catch it!
Destroying Property
Another misuse of the drone is defacing property. It is becoming a growing and popular trend and will end up causing a lot of trouble once the drone technology improves. American street artist KATSU used a DJI Phantom drone to spray-paint over a Calvin Klein ad a few years ago.
You Can Cause Injury To People
This has happened a number of times. Most times it is an accident, but you can very well do it intentionally and then claim losing control of your drone. Some drones are capable of traveling at 100kph and do some serious damage if they collide with a human being. What adds to this equation is the fact that controlling a drone is actually quite tricky. Some regulators insist that all drone users must attend classes on a drone flying as a compulsion to avoid losing control of their drone.
Weaponizing Drones
One more misuse of the drone is to introduce them to weapons. This is a real threat to cities all over the world. Although there are no documented cases of people using drones with explosives, there are many cases where drones have carried weapons or radioactive materials intended for malicious practices.
Smuggling Drugs
Drug lords are also incorporating technology into their means of making a living. There are cases where dealers have made use of drones for smuggling drugs across borders. A dealer in the US tried transporting about 2.5 kg of crystal meth.
Prison Contraband
Drones are also being misused for making the smuggling of contraband possible into prisons. There have been different cases involving the use of drones for smuggling drugs, cell phones, weapons, and even food into prisons.
The new drone legislation is just around the corner, and we hope that it will help put the misuse of the drone to an end!