Commercial drones are taking off in Charlotte area
By Rachel Adams-Heard, The Charlotte Observer | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
Ranging from the size of a tennis ball to that of a helicopter, commercial drones are drawing attention across the country as photographers, insurance companies and marketers see the technology providing a competitive edge. Amazon, for example, has sought permission from the
For now, though, the unmanned aerial gadgets -- controlled remotely by handheld device or computer -- are not technically allowed for commercial use without specific permission.
"The applications are limitless," said
Charles Pierre, owner of Helicopter Hobbies in
"This thing's just growing so fast," he said. "This is like the Internet boom."
Sansotta said drones offer a new perspective by capturing a subject, such as a newly married couple in a garden, from above. "It's drawn a lot of attention and clients."
A spokesperson for the
The
"Just do the right thing and they'll leave you alone," said
McClain has been interested in drones ever since he spotted one at an airport Brookstone store in 2009. Then his wife got him one for Christmas.
"I crashed that thing so many times," he said. Figuring out how to operate his drone took time and patience, he said.
McClain said safety is his No. 1 concern. He flies only in unpopulated areas and doesn't allow his three young daughters near his drone.
And while he acknowledges that the rules surrounding commercial drones are in flux, he worries other businesses will overtake him if he waits on the
Like many other business owners, McClain and Sansotta said they welcome regulations that would curb recent incidents, like when a hobbyist flew a drone too close to a police helicopter in
N.C.'s flight plan
"I consider (drones) a large part of the future of aviation and a great opportunity for
One company working with
"
After this year's deadly mudslide in Oso, Wash., PrecisionHawk was enlisted to build a model of the land using footage captured with a drone.
Another company that makes its own drone is Olaeris, which has worked with police, fire and rescue agencies on ways to use its lightweight drone in emergency response. The company has asked
"The truth is,
A spokesperson for the
"Considering the complex mix of users, the introduction of unmanned aircraft into America's airspace must take place incrementally and with the interest of safety first," the spokesperson said.
Privacy concerns
While businesses eager to tap into the new technology complain of slow decision-making by the state and the
Under the bill, law enforcement could use drones to conduct surveillance in "plain view" or with a warrant.
But Preston said she worries that commercial drone operators wouldn't have all the freedoms enjoyed by standard photographers, like the ability to take a picture of a public park without getting permission from every person in the photograph.
"I think the privacy concerns are legitimate," said Preston. But, she adds, "those (privacy) laws exist and would apply to photographs with drones."
Meanwhile, an audit released in June by the
A notice of the
A spokesperson for the
In a letter to the
Cummings, who wants to use drones for wildlife conservation research, said the
"There are many countries that are way ahead of us," said Cummings. "We've lost the edge."
As for the
"They're totally going to miss it," she said. "There's just no way."
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