Rein in unregulated drones

Duck! The drones, it is quite clear, are out of the barn. And true to the idiom, Congress is belatedly trying to close the door.

From the White House to quite possibly your house, dozens and dozens of reports of dangerous drone incidents are piling up. Among the scarier examples: On Aug. 9, pilots on four airliners spotted an unmanned craft as they approached Newark Liberty International Airport, Bloomberg News reported. Additionally, the Federal Aviation Administration in recent weeks received dozens of reports about drones too close to aircraft fighting California wildfires and near-collisions over airports in New York, Minneapolis and Austin, Texas.

Flying a drone near an airliner, or the White House for that matter, is what we expect of terrorists. But so far, the drone craziness can be traced to “hobbyists” or “recreationists.”

“Without common sense rules, I believe it’s only a matter of time before there’s a tragic accident,” said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California. She and other lawmakers want regulators to revise existing law to plug a loophole that spares recreational drones from regulations, Bloomberg reported. They are also are seeking the use of software that would prevent drones from flying in prohibited areas.

Currently, drone operators fall under voluntary education campaign run by the drone industry and the FAA. Which obviously isn’t working. (While sales of drones continue to soar.)

Other examples documented by The Washington Post: A drone used to smuggle drugs into an Ohio prison; a drone smashed against a Cincinnati skyscraper; a runaway two-pound drone struck a woman at a gay pride parade in Seattle, knocking her unconscious; a drone buzzed into a crowd at an outdoor festival in Albuquerque,, injuring a bystander; in Tampa, a drone reportedly stalked a woman outside a downtown bar before crashing into her car; and a Connecticut man posted an Internet video of a drone he had armed with a handgun, firing shots by remote control. Local police and the FAA determined that no laws had been broken.

On the other hand, it is against the law to shoot a drone, even when it hovers over your private property, as more than one person has discovered. (Although firefighters were definitely within their rights when they tried to drown a drone flying over a house fire.)

The Department of Homeland Security said it had recorded more than 500 incidents since 2012 in which rogue drones hovered over “sensitive sites and critical installations,” such as military bases and nuclear plants, The Post reported.

Meanwhile, scientists are concerned drones are stressing out wildlife. Just as they are stressing out and/or endangering humans. Yes, Congress, better late than never, bring on the common sense drone laws.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Opinion

People walk adjacent to the border with Canada at the Peace Arch in Peace Arch Historical State Park, where cars behind wait to enter Canada at the border crossing Monday, Aug. 9, 2021, in Blaine, Wash. Canada lifted its prohibition on Americans crossing the border to shop, vacation or visit, but America kept similar restrictions in place, part of a bumpy return to normalcy from coronavirus travel bans. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Editorial: Find respectful policy on tariffs, trade with Canada

Washington state depends on trade with Canada. The Trump administration’s belligerence is harmful.

toon
Editorial cartoons for Sunday, Feb. 22

A sketchy look at the news of the day.… Continue reading

FILE — A neighborhood in Poca across the Kanawha River from the John Amos Power Plant, a three-unit, coal-fired power plant in Winfield, W.Va., Sept. 19, 2025. In a reversal, the Environmental Protection Agency plans to calculate only the cost to industry when setting pollution limits, and not the monetary value of saving human lives, documents show. (Alyssa Schukar/The New York Times)
Comment: What happens now with end of a 2009 EPA climate finding

The Trump administration will move to kill climate regulations. But expect fact-based court challenges.

The Buzz: E.T., phone home and check your messages from Trump

President Trump says he’ll release files on aliens while Colbert weighs a campaign management career.

Everett City Council posts should be full-time jobs

Everett has grown into a regional city with regional responsibilities. Our City… Continue reading

Letter: Trump using office for personal profit

Where does the buck stop? Evidently, the bucks stop (and piles up… Continue reading

toon
Editorial cartoons for Saturday, Feb. 21

A sketchy look at the news of the day.… Continue reading

Comment: Reform of tobacco taxes can fund response to its harms

Senate Bill 6129 better fits current products and directs revenue to public health work and research.

Comment: Cap on child care would harm families and employers

Leaving thousands out of a state child care program will be more costly to the state in the long run.

Comment: More taxes on health care won’t make state more affordable

Proposals in the Legislature could increase health care costs for workers and businesses.

Forum: Cuts to programs for vulnerable kids a costly bargain

Funding for developmentally disabled infants and toddlers reduces costs later in life. Cutting them makes no sense.

Forum: We have reached the peak of self-esteem’s self-assurance

Everybody daydreams of being a hero, but people need to recognize the value in playing their part.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.