If you are reading this blog, then chances are, you are either part of the drone community or planning on joining us soon. A fact that all members of our community must recognize is that drones can be dangerous in certain situations. Drones have injured everyone from celebrities to infants, so when I read about doing real world testing using consumer drones and crash test dummies I’m pleased. Check out “Dummies Taking Hits for Drone Safety,” it’s an interesting read.
There is little disagreement that the small- and medium-sized drones flooding the U.S. market can seriously injure or even kill someone. Understanding and minimizing the risk will be key to convincing regulators to expand their permitted uses, clearing the way for plans by Amazon.com Inc. and Alphabet Inc. to have them deliver packages or news outlets such as Time Warner Inc.’s CNN to use them for aerial video.
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Only by testing can officials determine whether there’s a threshold of weight and design properties under which flights would be safe. And it paves the way for the use of commercial drones weighing up to 55 pounds, which are needed for deliveries and other business uses, but could pose a hazard if they fly off course or their batteries run out mid-flight.
