Civilian drones operating during emergencies in Texas are hindering recovery efforts following deadly flash floods. More than 100 confirmed fatalities and numerous missing persons complicate the situation. Authorities report amateur drone pilots interfere with emergency responders, endangering lives. Drone collisions with emergency aircraft have previously resulted in severe operational setbacks, highlighting ongoing challenges in managing unregulated drone use. Despite good intentions, personal drones create dangers that impede emergency operations. The availability and affordability of consumer drones over the last decade have exacerbated this dilemma.
"We know that people want to volunteer, but what we are starting to see is personal drones flying," Kerrville city manager Dalton Rice said at a recent press conference. Rice discouraged these have-a-go heroes with drones. "These personal drones flying is a danger to aircraft, which then risks further operations," he added.
"Particularly with emergency response, people think that they're doing good, when, in reality, they're causing more harm than good," says Ryan Wallace, a professor and drone expert at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
"It's a sad reality that people have been flying drones over disaster zones without permission ever since the technology came into widespread use over a decade ago," says Arthur Holland Michel, a drone expert and author of Eyes in the Sky.
"As drones became less expensive in the 2010s, more people had them for unregulated recreational use or professional photography," explains Robin Murphy, professor.
Collection
[
|
...
]