Phoenix Wants to Use Drones

By Nidah Chatriwala, TMO

Privacy is almost nonexistent today. Citizens’ reaction to government peeking into their personal lives is resulting mostly negatively.

Recently, police departments in a few states have considered the use of drones to assist in fighting crime. This mini-airplane like gadget is capable of hovering over cities for a few hours capturing video and photographs and then transmitting them to law officials for review.

As the price to manufacture and purchase drones drops, local security departments are eager to get their hands on them. City of Phoenix law enforcements have been added to that list.

Most residents, however, are not comfortable with the idea of having drones soaring over their homes and have submitted complaints.

According to The Republic, two City Council members submitted a proposal against the use of drones on Tuesday representing the group of citizens who are concerned about their privacy.

“I believe in using technology to its fullest, but I would hate people to have pictures of my kids in the backyard horsing around,” said Councilman Michael Nowakowski, an ordinance sponsor. “People abuse technology.”

More than arguments, confusion on government regulation on the usage of drones is stirring negativity between the public and state’s security officials.

“Drones are becoming ubiquitous, and they don’t necessarily disrupt land uses like low-flying helicopters or airplanes do. No one really knows how to treat these under existing laws,” Troy Rule, an associate professor at Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law.

According to The Republic, 24 companies have petitioned the FAA for approval to fly unmanned aircraft for activities, including film and video production, pipeline inspection, aerial surveying, precision agriculture and real estate.

Alessandra Soler, director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, said “They can be used in criminal investigations. They can be helpful in searching for missing persons or to fight forest fires. But the problem with drones is that they’re extremely powerful surveillance tools that can capture information on not just the target but on everyone else who happens to be nearby.”

The argument remains open until the U.S. government releases regulations on using drones. Until then, residents and officials can continue in their efforts to support their interests in regards to either welcoming or banning drones as a security tool.

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