Should we ban Drones?

[Pete]

Increasingly the powers that be including businesses and certain members of the public are using unmanned aircraft. I just read this in the HP:

"The first near miss between a passenger jet and a drone near Heathrow Airport is being investigated by Air safety chiefs, amid fears that unmanned aircraft are posing an increasing danger to commercial flights. The UK Airprox Board (UKAB), which will publish its findings on Friday, is expected to record an incident risk rating of A - the highest of five categories - defined as a "serious risk of collision".

I'm not a very good flyer and this deffo wont help... 

What do you think?

http://huff.to/1s27aoJ

[Fly]

I think there's a big 'space' in the word Drone.
I'm all for little 4 rotor quad  thing with a camera on doing an aerial view of the Spire.
I want one :-)
I'll get one ;-)
If we are talking about military drones doing recon missions then that's another thing.
Don't have something to hide that camera's might see.

Blair. WMD. Epic fail TBH. IMHO

[Engine Driver]

It's the future of things I'm afraid, driverless trains (Docklands Light Rly) Driverless cars in the news the other week, so why not pilot less aircraft?
Anyway these Drones are not  strictly speaking pilotless as they are controlled by someone in the control centre or what ever they call it, similar to a radio controlled model aircraft.
Also if one gets shot down, no pilot dies or gets captured/tortured, win, win all round.

[Slacker]

To use them professionally you have to go for training with the Civil Aviation Authority. Steve who runs Rise Above It did the 12 minute Chesterfield Marathon Road (some by car, some on foot and some with his drone.)
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rise-Above-It-Aerial-Photography-Videography/280955085409973?sk=info&tab=page_info

[Engine Driver]

Sorry, thought you meant the big military ones          With  regards to these little flying camera platforms, cos thats what they really are, they would be ok IF they are used responsibly. But they won't be will they? The idiots will get hold of them and allsorts of issues will arise

[Pete]

Agree with Engine Driver - idiots and inexperienced folks will cause enough problems and the government will have to step in with safety regulations etc.

Hopefully it won't take a major accident to get some control/guidelines in place.

[therealjr]

What's the difference between these drones and the model planes people have flown for years?

[Fly]

Onboard CCTV, and more control of what they are filming !!

[Slacker]

Discussed on Vine yesterday. Was quite amused by one comment by a bloke whose mate paid 5 grand for one. When he first tried it it didn't respond to the controls and flew off never to be seen again!!

[therealjr]

Sorry my point was why are they more of a danger to commercial airlines?

[Slacker]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzIWxzUACKo#t=15

[Pete]

Brilliant video - it was on YouTube before but it got pulled. I hope the owner leaves it up this time.

[Fly]

Sorry my point was why are they more of a danger to commercial airlines?

Thought I'd answered that one JR. Or were you specifically using the word 'commercial' ?
I think the same problem could occur with any other airborn craft. Difference is, any drone, doesn't have people on them.

[therealjr]

People for years have flown model aircraft never heard of any issues with them being a danger to commercial aircraft. Now people can buy and fly drones and there are concerns and indeed reports of near misses. So what's the difference between a drone and a model aircraft?

[simondjuk]

I believe that they have a height restriction of 400ft