The Way Forward For The Drone Business End-user

The first step is recognizing that there is a problem, and the Drone nomenclature is not the problem – the Predator and Reaper are. Some would argue that we cannot do without their money, but many others contend that we cannot do with their money.

1. Cut ties with the maker of the Extrajudicial Killing Machine (EKM)

2. Leave the police to work out privacy issues with those they serve.

There is an ever-increasing realization that the business and extra judicial killings just do not mix. While many fair-minded people can accept the support of members of the military in harms way, (boots on the ground) they cannot accept the killing of innocents. We as an industry cannot in good conscience defend what is simply indefensible.

While it is a policy issue, and not entirely the fault of the manufacturers of these weaponized systems, it does nevertheless put a pall on the industry. The commercial drone community should not have to bear the burden for a business sector in which they are not involved. If you want to make money in the DoD sector that is fine, just do not assume those outside of the sector desire to subsidize it. That sector has made (and continues to make) billions of dollars with lucrative contracts. The DoD vendors, not us, should stand on their own to reap what they have sewn.

Furthermore, if the police need to get search warrants for the use of drones in what constitutes a search, so be it. The business community cannot and should not get mired down with the public’s misgivings about the government/DoD vendors and privacy.

We cannot have a vibrant industry without the public’s understanding and trust. If we want to reach our potential, then we as the business community need to show the public that we mean business and that business does not include invading our neighbor’s privacy or inflicting collateral damage on innocent people.

Therefore, we as a community need to disassociate ourselves from the applications and vendors that the public reviles. We have to concentrate our efforts in feeding our families and assisting our friends and neighbors in making the world a better place.