Drones

Public notion of drones within the UK 68% optimistic

Photo © Lewis Clarke (cc-by-sa / 2.0)

In the UK, public awareness of drones is improving. A new study shows that more than 2/3 of the UK public believe that drones will have a positive impact on the future.

by DRONELIFE Staff Writer Ian M. Crosby

New research released today by the Project XCelerate consortium, led by BT and Altitude Angel, shows that more than two-thirds (68%) of the UK public believe that drones will have a positive impact on their lives in the future. Almost half (49%) say they are optimistic or enthusiastic about the potential of drone technology.

The UK public is most positive about the impact of drones on society for the good of society. Research found that 49% hope to use drones instead of people for risky jobs like fire fighting (76%) and inspecting infrastructure (70%). . Meanwhile, two in five drones would like to see drones be used to enhance human capabilities and reach otherwise inaccessible areas (42%), such as tracking down criminals (65%) or investigating crime scenes (73%).

The range of over 65 prioritized human safety and agreed that this was the greatest benefit of using drones. The under 30 group (36%) considered the environmental benefits of drones to be equally important to human security, with an emphasis on the use of drones to reduce air pollution.

Despite positive attitudes towards the potential of drone applications, 38% of people in the UK still have concerns about drone use, with almost half of all adults reporting drone abuse (46%) and public safety in addition to privacy (48%). ) Personal data and private property were her main concerns. Some concerns may stem from public misunderstandings, as 47% of UK citizens felt that the use of drones remained unregulated when in reality strict regulations governing drone operations exist across the UK and continue to be developed and implemented by the Civil Aviation Authority with increasing use.

This report is only part of Project XCelerate’s broader work on the UK Government’s Future Flight Program. The results will be used to support the work of the consortium in addressing some of the challenges related to the public acceptance of drones.

“It is encouraging to see the general public realizing the future opportunities drone technology offers and the positive impact drones can have on society by providing potentially life-saving services,” said Dave Pankhurst, director of drone solutions at BT. “But the results also underscore the need to better educate the public in order to address their concerns about the acceleration of drones in our everyday lives. Unleashing the potential of drones requires close collaboration with a number of key stakeholders from the public, government, regulators and industry. With Project XCelerate, we want to help open the skies safely and create new opportunities for the future of drone flight. “

“We’re seeing drones save lives and change the way we live and work almost every day,” added Richard Parker, CEO and founder of Altitude Angel. “The technology we develop and deploy with partners like BT will be the foundation on which the UK builds and enables its drone economy.”

By showing how drones can be used positively in such cases as search and rescue missions, infrastructure inspections and the delivery of medical supplies, Project XCelerate seeks to influence current airspace restrictions in order to safely expand the potential of drone technology.

Read more about the public perception of drones, drones in public safety and UTM solutions from Altitude Angel based in the UK.

Ian attended the Dominican University of California, where he received a BA in English in 2019. With a lifelong passion for writing and storytelling and a keen interest in technology, he now contributes to DroneLife.

Miriam McNabb is Editor-in-Chief of DRONELIFE and CEO of JobForDrones, a professional marketplace for drone services, and a passionate observer of the emerging drone industry and regulatory environment for drones. Author of over 3,000 articles focusing on the commercial drone space, Miriam is an international speaker and recognized figure in the industry. Miriam graduated from the University of Chicago and has over 20 years experience in high-tech sales and marketing for emerging technologies.
For advice or writing on the drone industry, email Miriam.

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