Drones and Energy: Our Opinion

Alaska's Lieutenant Governor Mead Treadwell (NGP Photo) is Mead Treadwell, aerospace states association, lieutenant governor, us senate, Photo by Dave HarbourChairman of the Aerospace States Association.

Speaking on the subject of the threat to privacy posed by drones, the Daily Caller quoted Treadwell yesterday as saying that, "The paper we are releasing today…strikes a fine balance between protecting individual privacy rights as guaranteed by the Fourth Amendment and exploiting the significant economic and humanitarian benefits of UAS technology.”  

We would observe that unrestricted use of drone audio/video could compromise the security of critical infrastructure such as power production, manufacturing, energy refineries, drilling, mining and transportation operations.  

We would also observe that Drone coverage of wide expanses of oceans and remote lands could greatly enhance exploration efforts.

In general, technology is good; but, we also think it good to always beware of unknown results created by the confluence of evolving paradigms and emerging technology.

-dh