Let common sense fly high when creating rules for UAVs

From delivering an online retail purchase to bringing lifesaving pharmaceuticals to an elderly person’s front door in a rural community, the benefits of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are vast.   

But, UAVs also bring very real and worthwhile questions.  Where does public airspace begin and private property end? How do we protect personal privacy when a drone flies over my property?  How do we ensure that public safety is protected? 

{mosads}All of these questions are legitimate and require well-researched and thoroughly vetted industry best practices.  Much of this work is being done as part of the National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA) multi-stakeholder process.  The NTIA will have its third public stakeholder meeting today, October 21, in Washington, DC.

Frank Lloyd Wright once said, “Nothing is more uncommon than common sense.”  If he wasn’t referring to Washington, DC policy, he should have been.  Too often myths and hyperbole have led to misinformation about UAVs in both media and policy circles.  UAVs have many worthwhile purposes other than to take pictures, and there are simple solutions to ensure that UAVs do not infringe on the personal privacy of everyday citizens.

As is often the case when new technologies emerge, the UAV debate has led to the creation of two factions – one side calling for strict constraints on use, the other calling for a lax system of rules.  Both want a “reasonable” solution that protects consumer privacy without thwarting innovation.  Some want one outcome more than others, but both sides truly want to find a workable compromise.

So, what can we do that would make common sense a little less rare? 

Let’s develop best practices where a UAV operator cannot knowingly and intentionally use a UAV to videotape, film, photograph or record a person without their consent or where the person has reasonable expectation of privacy.

Let’s require that commercial UAV operators have an online privacy policy that describes the purpose for which data is collected, the type of data collected and point of contact for individual complaints.

Let’s ensure that the rights of media under the First Amendment remain protected.

Let’s not impute tough restriction on commercial operators of UAVs when traveling in pubic airspaces or punish them when they enter private airspace for safety or security reasons.

Let’s have UAV operators clearly identify their UAVs.

So, there you go – five rather simple policy requirements that can foster consumer trust while also enabling commercial UAV operators to utilize these innovative products for the betterment of society.  If we agree on these five, UAVs may not be so uncommon anymore.

Szabo is policy council for NetChoice, a trade association of eCommerce businesses and online consumers, all of whom share the goal of promoting convenience, choice and commerce on the Internet.