NC State hopes to lead industry in drone research
RALEIGH -- There's a drone debate going on across the country right now. The question is how to regulate them while protecting public safety and privacy. As lawmakers debate that, researchers at N.C. State are launching plans to lead the industry.
"They're giving us this airplane so we can fly the wings off it," said NextGen Air Transportation Center Director Kyle Snyder.
The NGAT Center at N.C. State has just been gifted a new $50,000 drone and members were quick to test out the toy. It comes just as center is vying to be named a research hub by the FAA.
"We want them to see that North Carolina is a leader in this by opening up safe places to fly," said Snyder.
With all this movement in the sky, there's a heated debated on the ground. The future of the flying objects is being called into question. President Obama is calling for updated drone laws after a one crashed on White House grounds.
On the state level, there's nothing on the books. The ACLU is pushing for regulation.
"There really is a whole new way they can monitor our lives," said ACLU spokesperson Mike Meno. "There's some pretty big gaps in making sure were going to safeguard this technology against abuse [and] to make sure that the government isn't going to use it to invade folks' privacy."
A bill is being mulled over by lawmakers.
"We just keep seeing more and more surveillance technology that either private citizens or the government can use to essential spy on people," said Meno.
But that's not the N.C. State researchers are planning on doing, especially if the FAA picks them to lead drone research.
"To show that it can be used frequently, safely, with a managed team so that more people can start using them," said Snyder.
The FAA is expected to pick a winning team in the spring.
