Drone Lobbyist: 'I Don't Use the Word Drone'
Drones are coming to U.S. skies. The Federal Aviation Administration is charged with finding a safe way for drones to fly for commercial purposes by 2015, but civil-liberties advocates worry that privacy rights might suffer.
As the debate continues, National Journal caught up with Michael Toscano, chief of Washingtons drone lobby, the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, who says that one day, the truth will prevail and Americans will see how flying robots can make this country better. Edited excerpts follow.
NJ: Do you think drones have an image problem?
Toscano: I dont use the word drone. Theres a Hollywood expectation of what a drone is. Most of it is military; most of it is very fearful, hostile. These things are not that. More than 50 percent of them are going to weigh less than 5 pounds.
Theres a very large upside to this technology, and there are issues that have to be addressed. Obviously the privacy issue needs to be addressed and put in context with the other issues. With any revolutionary-type technology there are good things that can be done with it but there are situations where people can misuse this.
Automobiles (cause the deaths of more than 30,000 people in the U.S. each year,) but we still accept that technology. My car has ability to go 120 miles per hour, but if I do I recognize I am breaking the law. If I get in an accident and kill someone, it can be a deadly weapon that doesnt mean we should ban all cars. You have to hold people accountable.
http://www.nextgov.com/defense/2013/03/drone-lobbyist-i-dont-use-word-drone/62140/?oref=ng-HPriver