How We See It: Drone Uses Need Limits From Elected Leaders

Remember when the only droning anyone had to worry about at a city council meeting was the kind that happened at the microphone.

Well, it's the 21st century, and droning has taken on a whole new meaning.

What’s The Point?

A potential purchase of drones in Bentonville raises questions about who’s setting policies for their use. Elected leaders need to establish strict, respectful limits for how the technology can be used.

We're talking about those high-tech drones made possible by the ever-decreasing size of electronics and optics. Most of what we hear about drones these days involves their use by the military for unmanned surveillance and bombing. In the world of of international military engagement, drones can accomplish missions without putting precious American lives at risk.

But domestic use of drones is a growing area of concern, too. Some legislatures have placed limits on government's use of drones largely out of concern for privacy. Advocates of drones suggest law enforcement or other agencies can gain valuable information in the fight against crime through drones' capability to be an eye in the sky. The possibilities are intriguing, they're endless, and they're a little unnerving.

Those with concerns cite the proverbial slippery slope, and while it's easy to dismiss those concerns as ludicrous, how many times have Americans found themselves trying to recover from an unanticipated ride down that slope?

Is this just a national concern or debate? Not at all. Last week, readers learned that Bentonville Fire Department officials are "seriously considering" the purchase of an unmanned aircraft system. Fire officials say the drone could be used to monitor large areas at public events or to assist in search and rescue operations or other emergencies. They recently got a visit from representatives of a company marketing the devices. For just $8,000, the department could have aerial view capabilities.

A department spokesman said the money to buy the drone package would come from insurance money returned from the state rather than tax dollars.

So, what it appears we have is a pool of available money just itching to be spent on something probably nobody would suggest spending regular funding allocations on. In the emergency services world, such scenarios are usually when the public ends up with something "cool" but not exactly necessary.

A most recent example was the Benton County Sheriff's Office's acquisition of a six-wheeled, 48,000-pound mine-resistant, ambush protected -- or MRAP -- vehicle from U.S. military surplus. The office got it for $5,000. Bentonville and Rogers have similar vehicles, which are not critical to law enforcement, but exciting to have when they can be acquired so cheaply.

The Federal Aviation Administration says dozens of governmental agencies have received permission to fly drones. The policies for exactly how they'll be used will be up to each agency.

The American Civil Liberties Union isn't so naive to believe it can rid the world of new technology, but the organization urges local governments -- elected representatives of the people, not law enforcement or fire department officials -- to outline what's permissible and what's not in the use of drones. We don't always agree with the ACLU, but in this case, they're on the right track.

Nobody should doubt the potential for good built into 21st century technology. But as invasion of privacy gets easier, it's up to elected leaders -- city councils, quorum courts, state legislatures -- to set the limits for how drones and the information they collect can be used.

Commentary on 08/12/2014

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