The news about a Chinese tourist crashing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) — or drone — into Taipei 101 has put the issue of drones and aviation safety into focus.
However, due to the sheer number of drones involved in aerial collisions, whether it is amateurs with remote-controlled drones, the use of UAVs to explore the natural environment in remote areas, or for e-commerce delivery applications, the nation should have paid attention to this issue some time ago.
Over the past few years, the production and use of drones has been on the rise; some people are even saying that they could be the next big thing on the market.
Talking about the manufacture of drones, it is important to consider the symbolic significance of the drone used by the Chinese tourist on this occasion. This is because the drone used was manufactured by DJI (大疆), one of the largest producers of UAVs in the world. If you were to choose a Chinese manufacturer that has successfully divested itself of its image as a company manufacturing imitation pirated goods, DJI would have to be close to the top of the list.
In fact, a recent New York Times report quoted former editor-in-chief of Wired magazine and founder of UAV manufacturer DIY Drones Chris Anderson as saying that the DJI drones come with military capabilities while costing less than US$1,000.
Drones are not impeded by traffic jams, do not incur any additional personnel costs and can be automated using remote-control systems. It did not take businesses long to realize the e-commerce applications to which these UAVs could be put.
US online retail giant Amazon.com has always been good at combining technology and customer demand, and has applied for patents in this regard. The company has yet to implement its drone delivery plan as it is waiting for US legislation to catch up, but it is way ahead of the game in terms of the range of pending patents involving UAV technology.
Amazon recently applied for a patent for its “Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Delivery System.” This system is concerned with the communications system within its UAVs. It will be able to receive commands from the logistics hub, as well as send and receive information between a customer’s mobile device to confirm the delivery location. This will enable customers to receive their goods even while on the move from these “smart UAVs.”
The application of any new technology — not just UAVs — will always present challenges for lawmakers. For example, hobbyists and members of the public might cause disturbances and public risk while unintentionally operating these devices in prohibited areas.
On the other hand, commercial drones may infringe customers’ privacy rights due to the information stored within internal communications systems. The use of drones might even threaten national security, with professional operators using imaging capabilities to photograph restricted military buildings or facilities.
In terms of how Taiwan is to address these challenges, it has been reported that the Civil Aeronautics Administration is to study special legislation being proposed in the US. Specific legislation is certainly the way forward, and laws governing the use of UAVs are being proposed in countries such as the US, the UK and Japan, addressing the commercial and private use of drones and providing for the gradual opening up of the skies. These laws will regulate the types, licensing, load capacity and airspace permissions of drones.
As far as drone potential goes, when legislation is complete, the sky really is the limit; for hobbyist use, imaging, monitoring, disaster response and in particular the development of commercial applications. In the not-too-distant future, mini-drones zipping across cities and towns, communicating with mobile devices and delivering packages may well become a common sight.
Chiang Ya-chi is an assistant professor at National Taipei University of Technology.
Translated by Paul Cooper
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