By tiptoeing into drone approval, the Federal Aviation Administration is doing precisely what it is supposed to do: Provide for safe air travel and the safe use of airspace. The FAA does not exist to make Jeff Bezos or venture capitalists happy. If Mr. Bezos doesn’t like this, he should take his potentially killer drones elsewhere, as has been threatened.

Do not mistake me for someone who is anti-drone, but for the moment a requirement that the drone must be visible to the operator and operate below 500 feet makes sense. Those requirements enhance safety while encouraging the drone industry. There are many important commercial applications that fit these parameters. They also make drone development much easier, which ought to make the VCs happy.

I am not sure Amazon’s drone delivery scheme will be successful. Many of us imagine neighborhoods where the sound or sight of an Amazon drone, carrying a package of potentially expensive merchandise, will bring out the shotguns and hunting rifles. When the drone falls, it may hit people or property on the ground. This will not be a pretty sight.

Again, call it lack of imagination, but I’m guessing the drones would be used with some sort of human-powered last mile delivery. That Amazon will lease landing zones where the drones that survive the neighborhood fusillade will meet a delivery truck and be off-loaded.

This would certainly give Amazon more flexibility in its deliveries and potentially reduce delivery time, but all that remains to be seen.

Something else we need to think about concerning drones are overcrowded skies, potential loss of privacy and helping our enemies.

Remember the days after 9/11 when the skies were essentially closed? Remember the silence? At the time, I lived near a major airport and the lack of jet noise was startling when I really noticed it. I’m not saying we should close the skies, but I now live near a small airport and I hear plenty of aircraft already. Adding a bunch of drone traffic might not be welcome.

Speaking of 9/11, the more drones, the bigger the opportunity for them to be used in malicious, even terroristic ways. A cheap, untraceable aerial platform is all the bad guys need to enhance their endeavors. Wasn’t letting them take over the Internet enough?

I’m a drone supporter, but a cautious one. And I support what the FAA has done to regulate them. What do you think?

Image via Pixabay