Congressman Wants Privacy Rules for Drones

"When it comes to privacy protections for the American people, drones are flying blind."

Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA) on Wednesday released a discussion draft of legislation that aims to add privacy protections and greater transparency to the authorization of aerial drone flights within the United States.

"When it comes to privacy protections for the American people, drones are flying blind," Markey said in a statement.

The Federal Aviation Administration has currently authorized about 100 different entities to fly drones domestically. The number of law enforcement agencies and other entities authorized to use drones is expected to rapidly increase thanks to a FAA funding bill passed this year. The FAA plans to allow for the deployment of privately-operated drones within the United States by 2015 and as many as 30,000 drones could be in operation by 2020.

Comments

[Public Citizzen]

With an already near the breaking point Air Traffic Control System this is just what we need.
100 or more new agencies putting as many aircraft in the air as possible could well be the straw that breaks the camels back. Does anybody else see a problem with this additional system load? What is going to happen when a bunch of these drones -all from different agencies- are drawn like iron filings to a magnet to an "area of high interest"?
What is going to happen when these drones start having mid-air collisions? They won't have enough control from the ground to decide NOT to crash land on the school - head for the parking lot a block away instead.