Over the past few years, the general population has become obsessed with drones. One of the best things about drones is the ability to use them to take pictures of things that simply aren’t possible to get through more conventional methods. Most of the time, they’re harmless, but law officials are concerned about the small drones flying around during emergencies.
The Problem
The issue of drones and what to do about them in the middle of a crisis was first brought up during a fire. The fire was brutal, by the time firefighters stopped the blaze, more than 150 buildings had been damaged and thousands of people had been forced to flee the city. It was a spectacular and heartbreaking crisis that proved too much for one drone owner to resist. They sent their small drone up into the sky, above the fire, presumably to capture some pictures of the blaze.
When they did so, the drone owner likely thought they were okay. It didn’t occur to them that as a result of their actions, emergency crews would be forced to suspend their attempts to suppress the blaze for a full hour as they tried to decide what to do about the drone. The concern was that if they sent their firefighting drones up into the air, they would collide with the private drone, creating an expensive accident.
Drone Killers to the Rescue
Based on this one event, one police department decided that they needed to be prepared to encounter drones during future emergencies, which is why they purchased an electronic tool that has been dubbed, the Drone Killer. The Drone Killer’s only function is to disable any drone that might be flying around during an emergency, sending it crashing to the ground. The Drone Killer currently can disable more than one hundred different types of popular drones.
Could Legal Action Be Around the Corner
As soon as society became obsessed with drones, lawmakers started exploring legal options connected the unmanned aircraft. Interfering with emergency aircraft has always been a concern. Likely, using the drone killer is just the first step in dealing with drones during emergencies. It’s reasonable to assume that it won’t be long before lawmakers start arresting people who fly their drones over fires, traffic accidents, and near hospitals.