Look in the sky! That’s not a bird! It isn’t a plane! It isn’t Superman, either! Those are drones, drones, and more drones. Drones are becoming the trend of the 2010s. This trend has no ending in sight.
There are now 2.5 million drones being used today. By 2020, the Federal Aviation Administration expects it to increase to 7 million. More than half of those, 4.3 million, will be recreational and owned by private citizens. Most of the others will be used by businesses for commercial use, or for government use by various federal, state and local agencies. This is why the FAA is scrambling to make and enforce rules to regulate drones. For instance, pilots must register their drones with the FAA. As of today’s blog, approximately 400,000 people have registered. You can bet retail and shipping industries will demand drone for business use. But more surprising is that industries like agriculture, insurance, real estate and photography will require them as well. But the drones face hurdles. Cities, and I’m talking major cities like Chicago and New York, and semi-major cities like Syracuse, NY have either severe limitations or outright bans on drones, or their local governments are proposing them. Drones don’t come cheap. The most inexpensive drone will run you $2,500. Some drones will cost you $40,000, the price of a really nice new car.
Prices won’t stop many from getting these drones. For some, if it’s the new fad, they’ll save, beg, borrow, steal, forsake vacations and other things to get this drone. Look at how people will wait in long lines on dark cold nights for the latest smartphone. Another issue is safety. There is a lot of concern about drones clashing with flights. Rightfully so. I don’t want my plane or my loved one’s plane to crash and we’re dying just because you can’t control your drone. So obey the FAA laws. They’re there for a reason. Is our society ready for the drone invasion?