The increasing use of drones in security patrols, emergency response, cargo transport and other areas will test existing airspace monitoring systems and regulations, and should be the subject of intensive research to measure the effects on society, a committee of the National Academy of Sciences says.
“Advanced aerial mobility involves the emergence of transformative and disruptive new airborne technology,” said Nicholas Lappos, chair of the Committee on Urban Air Mobility Research and Technology and also a senior fellow for advanced technology at Sikorsky. “We believe that the acceptance of these new vehicle operations will depend on important factors such as the public’s perception of their safety, noise and intrusion.”
Lappos made the remarks Wednesday as the committee released a report, “Advancing Aerial Mobility ─ A National Blueprint,” which called for collaborative research by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the U.S. Federal A…
