Hawaii Drone Article

Just wanted to share this article.

http://m.civilbeat.com/articles/2013/07/19/19508-drones-animal-blood-paris-hilton-and-monitoring-from-above/

I was contacted and asked some questions about drones. None of my answers were used. I guess the article could have been worse... But I just love how the general public assumes all drones are out to get them or that Predator UAVs don't have pilots in command of them...the list goes on.

There are some very legitimate privacy and safety issues of course...but a boyfriend using a uav to spy on his ex girlfriend?....arrrg.

It is just frustrating when UAVs have such great potential to do good, and many DIYdrones members are doing some incredible projects for the greater good, and then the news mostly reports on all of the far fetched negative aspects.

Anyways, I just wanted to share with the community and I hope future contacts with the media can really highlight all of the benefits of UAVs without succumbing to the "every drone is trying to spy on me" mentality.

The sad truth is most journalists don't have the technical acumen to report on these kinds of things accurately. And even when they do consult experts (such as yourself, David), reporters still are pressured to write click-bait stories such as the one here.

I noticed how this website received three consecutive awards for "Best Overall News Site" from the Society of Professional Journalists. It might be a good idea to write the SPJ and let them know about this story. Or better yet, write to the website's editor and let them know exactly what is wrong about this story.

Also, the US military uses "model airplanes" equipped with missiles? Drones are "devices that are sometimes called 'unmanned aerial vehicles.'"? Drones are characterized from model airplanes because they "must have something added onto it, whether it be weaponry, cameras or other surveillance and information-gathering devices"? And paparazzi have used drones "for years for their own surveillance purposes"? Wow. This seems almost intentionally ignorant.

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Comments

David Hummer August 8, 2013 at 10:10am

The reporter brought up the Paris Hilton story...which I wasn't aware of. I looked it up and as it turns out they couldn't even confirm if they got pictures of Paris or her sister.... plus they were on a wide open beach...

Plus take a look at the protest picture in the article...that predator drone they built on top of their pick up truck is completely different than the small surveillance drones the military was using in Hawaii.

"The sad truth is most journalists don't have the technical acumen to report on these kinds of things accurately."

That sums it up perfectly. I spent a lot of time explaining the technology, trying to share its strengths and weaknesses, and almost all of it was thrown away. Yes all new technologies have their issues, and privacy is a legitimate concern... but discuss it intelligently.
Matthew Schroyer August 8, 2013 at 9:51am

The sad truth is most journalists don't have the technical acumen to report on these kinds of things accurately. And even when they do consult experts (such as yourself, David), reporters still are pressured to write click-bait stories such as the one here.

I noticed how this website received three consecutive awards for "Best Overall News Site" from the Society of Professional Journalists. It might be a good idea to write the SPJ and let them know about this story. Or better yet, write to the website's editor and let them know exactly what is wrong about this story.

Also, the US military uses "model airplanes" equipped with missiles? Drones are "devices that are sometimes called 'unmanned aerial vehicles.'"? Drones are characterized from model airplanes because they "must have something added onto it, whether it be weaponry, cameras or other surveillance and information-gathering devices"? And paparazzi have used drones "for years for their own surveillance purposes"? Wow. This seems almost intentionally ignorant.
HeliStorm August 8, 2013 at 8:38am

How many jilted lovers have driven past their ex's house? And, the government spies on people from vans. And, the military uses wheeled vehicles to kill people. And thousands of people a year are killed every year in automobile accidents. And, the government lets anyone roughly the age of 16 and able to pass a basic test operate these horrible devices! I am going to go protest my DMV now!
HeliStorm August 8, 2013 at 8:31am

We humans are social creatures, easily influenced by groupthink. I wonder how many people protesting the use of drones have ever given thought to the argument cars should be protested, because cars can be used for bad things? And, airplanes. And boats. And rocks.

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