"What are drones but flying smartphones, one app away from indispensable? We could see drones accompanying early morning joggers, taking sport, wildlife and other photography to a new level," said Ryan Calo, an expert in law and emerging technology at Stanford University's Center for Internet and Society.
WASHINGTON — Drones: A flying technological marvel that could save lives or a sinister robot spy which edges the United States ever closer towards becoming a surveillance society?
The imminent proliferation of unmanned aircraft in American skies has stirred a debate which veers between excitement at the possibilities to deep concern they may be deployed to snoop on law-abiding citizens.
Congress has ordered the Federal Aviation Administration to open up airspace to unmanned aircraft by October 2015, a decision expected to see thousands of drones criss-crossing the sky within a few years.
Supporters of the move point to a vast range of applications which drones could be used for -- tracking the progress of wildfires, helping to find lost skiers, identifying criminals or mapping inhospitable terrain.
"The possibilities ... are endless," said Ryan Calo, an expert in law and emerging technology at Stanford University's Center for Internet and Society.
"What are drones but flying smartphones, one app away from indispensable? We could see drones accompanying early morning joggers, taking sport, wildlife and other photography to a new level."
While the public perception of drones is associated with their use in war, the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) believes they can "save money, time and lives" in civilian life.
The AUVSI also believes increased drone use will create 100,000 jobs by 2025, injecting billions of dollars into the economy.
Baptiste Tripard, North American sales director of SenseFly, the Swiss manufacturer of a drone that can draw 3D maps or take high resolution photos, believes the United States could become the biggest market for drones.
"The United States has the potential to become the largest market in the world, particularly in agriculture, where professionals are already used to working with high-tech instruments," Baptiste said.
