A new law regarding drones in urban areas is currently being drafted by the Civil Aviation Administration of China. (Photo : Reuters)
The recent rise of drone usage have prompted many concerned organizations about the possible hazards these unmanned aerial vehicles pose to the sky. Reports about irresponsible drone users kept on stacking with some claiming that they fly close to airplanes and helicopters with the possibility of inducing mid-air collision.
Reports of drones wandering into restricted military airspace, performing illegal spying activities and even disrupting sports events are overwhelmingly high. Some reports even claim that these drones caused injuries to people.
One incident of drone nuisance was reported by the Daily Herald when a fire broke out in the freeway in San Bernardino, Calif. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection was unable to deploy its firefighting helicopter after a four-rotor drone nearly collided it 500 feet about ground.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems Association chairman Gary Clayton told the BBC, "This is a very hot topic. Operators with no training and no understanding of airspace could discredit the whole industry." Some drone manufacturers claim that their products have safety features embedded in them. One cited feature is called geo-fencing. This technology uses GPS and mapping systems in order to stop the drone from entering restricted airspace. By integrating these safety measures into unmanned aerial vehicles, it has the possibility of reducing incidents of drones entering restricted airspaces like that of an airport where drones are not allowed in the first place. The United States Federal Aviation Administration recently released a report that drone sightings by airplane pilots have increased from 238 in 2014 to 650 this year. Some pilots claim that they have sighted drones flying in altitude as high as 10, 000 feet. As per FAA rules and regulations, flying and operating drones around airplanes and helicopters are dangerous and illegal.
