Posted on: Wednesday, June 2, 2004

EDITORIAL
Restrict use of robot planes in airspace

If NASA gets its way, we'll be seeing robot planes in civilian airspace in a matter of a few years.

It's true that unmanned spy planes have played an increasing — and useful — role in U.S. military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. Positive uses for unmanned aerial vehicles here at home include crop dusting and the dousing of wildfires.

But the unfettered use of these aircraft in civilian airspace also raises safety and privacy issues.

For example, one California-based company that manufactures and operates unmanned aerial vehicles reports an increase in government orders since the 9/11 attacks, but won't discuss the surveillance work it does for these clients.

The "Big Brother" ramifications of secret surveillance, of course, is that any of us could be subject to monitoring by robot spy planes without probable cause.

Also of concern is an increase in air traffic:

"We already have a problem with air traffic control," says a spokesman for the National Air Disaster Alliance, a Washington-based flight safety group. "Our skies are overcrowded as it is. So why would anyone want to put an unmanned aircraft into that mix? It's just a bad idea."

While we acknowledge the benefits of robot airplanes, which are preferable to the use of loud helicopters and their potential for fatal accidents, we ask that reasonable restrictions be placed on robot planes to ensure that all the privacy and safety issues are thoroughly addressed.