Drone industry releases ethics code

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By Ben Wolfgang

The Washington Times

Monday, July 2, 2012

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The drone industry on Monday unveiled its first-ever “code of conduct” policy, designed to protect the privacy of those on the ground and ensure the sector adheres to safety standards as the popularity and usage of unmanned aerial vehicles continue to grow.

Released by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, the guidelines focus on three principals: safety, professionalism and respect. They include promises that the industry will properly test all drones before flight, comply with all laws governing aircraft, respect the privacy of individuals and work to better educate the public.

“Acceptance and adherence to this code will contribute to safety and professionalism and will accelerate public confidence in these systems,” the association said in a statement.

Unmanned aerial vehicles, now used by the military, law enforcement and government agencies, will be available for commercial use by 2015. Better known as drones, the aircraft have raised a number of privacy concerns.

About the Author

Ben Wolfgang

Ben Wolfgang is a national reporter for The Washington Times. Before coming to the Times, he spent four years as a political reporter in Pennsylvania. His focus is on education and science policy. Ben lives in southeast D.C. and has played guitar in several bands while still in Pennsylvania. He can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.