The discovery of a radio-controlled copter on the White House lawn injects a new complication into the debate over the growing popularity of drones used by civilians.
The unintentional security breach Monday at the U.S. presidential mansion inWashington gives ammunition to those who want to see tight restrictions on who can fly unmanned aircraft and where, said Patrick Egan, a drone advocate. It also raises questions about how the government can even enforce such rules.
Hobbyists, filmmakers and other enthusiasts had been making progress in getting the Federal Aviation Administration to be more permissive about civilian drones. The Obama administration was set to release new privacy standards and was reviewing a proposal to allow drones for commercial purposes such as for sporting events and oil-field inspections. Then one landed on the president’s lawn.
Read more here.
