Unmanned but Accelerating: Navigating the Regulatory and Privacy Challenges of Introducing Unmanned Aircraft into the National Airspace System

摘要

HOPE THESE are the robots that take over the earth."'IComedian Aziz Ansari was talking about Tacocopter, a faux-Silicon Valley start-up that promises "flying robots" that deliver tacos. 2 Although Tacocopter's creator insists that the website is not a joke,' Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations and logistical concerns mean that Americans are unlikely to see airborne taco-delivery machines anytime soon. 4 A future of flying tacos, however, is not out of the question.Tacocopter is only one of the many contemplated uses for unmanned aircraft in America's civil airspace, the national airspace system (NAS). 5 Unmanned aircraft are already being used to monitor U.S. borders and collect atmospheric data, and the technology could prove essential for police and firefighters seeking alternative vantages during dangerous situations, for scientists studying pristine ecosystems, and even for companies delivering cargo. 6 Unmanned aircraft have already become a big business, and the sector is growing quickly.Annual worldwide unmanned air-