Assignment 3: How Drones Are Changing The World

1A: Drones are an innovation that is beginning to take over the world. They are

unmanned aircraft or missiles now being used by families, small and large businesses, and even

the government. Drones are able to do tasks many humans are incapable of and with less of a

risk. Drones navigate via global positioning system points. This innovation has made access to

things easier and more convenient for people. They are highly functioning innovations with a

broad range of intelligence. Drones are already changing the world, and have begun a revolution

in not only technology, but war, business, and everyday life.

1B: These technologies use programming to help accomplish their intended purposes.

Programming is a process that leads from an original formulation

to an executable computer
program. Drones are programmed to be semi-autonomous, which helps the drone gift the
operator with the service it was intended to provide. Possible programming includes things such
as; being sent to latitude and longitude locations or operator designed global positioning system
points, the ability to speak, the ability to take photos, the ability to record video, etc. Without
programming, drones would be unable to perform the needed tasks. Programming is what makes
the drone the highly functioning innovation it was created to be.
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1C: Drones are also capable of consuming data, like most innovations today are. Data is
specifically formatted pieces of information. Drones consume data as input, like global
positioning system information and sensors, to stay in places safely even during harsh weather or
lack of operator control.

The highly intelligent innovations can also return to the exact place it

took off when it senses danger, like losing connection with the operator, by recording the GPS

points. They also consume data as output by providing the operator with what its camera records

or sees. Drones can also provide the operator with FPV, or first-person viewing, which is

currently illegal in the United States. This allows the drones to leave the operator’s sight while

providing them with what the drone’s camera is watching.

1D: Data concerns are a growing issue with drone use. Data security involving drones

concerns include the threat of one’s information being released and hacking of drones. There is

technology out there that is available and capable of interfering with drones and taking data

information. All viruses or threats to one’s computer hold threats to drones. Data privacy

concerns are probably the main issue concerned with drones. Drones are highly controversial

innovations. With the ability to watch people and collect data on citizens even without consent,

the use of drones receives caries responses. Including tasks like FPV, the drone has

many
capabilities that pose threat to people’s privacy. Any activity with security concerns now
probably contain a spy drone that collects data for “safety” precautions.
1E: A potential benefit provided by drones is security. Specifically in the United States.
Between terrorism, war, and cyber threats, drones are used by the United States military to
provide a sense of security and safety. Though the Federal Aviation Administration has not yet
opened all United States airspace to flight of unmanned aircraft, over 70 countries possess
drones. Drones are used as counterterrorism strategies. The United States is currently involved in
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the drone strikes in Pakistan. They are seen as effective in attacking high-value targets and have
less militant loss and potentially less civilian loss. This is what makes the drones seem to provide
a sense of security for the United States, as they protect the military and citizens in the U.S.
1F: The economic effect of drones however is not beneficial. By 2025, unmanned aircraft
has been estimated to cost the United States alone over eighty-two billion dollars. The Federal
Aviation Administration opening airspace to unmanned aircraft could cost over ten billion-
dollars a year. The usage of drones on the United States-Mexico border alone is outrageous.
Each drone costs over two-thousand dollars per flight hour. This still does not compare to the
military’s drone, Global Hawk. In 2014, it was reported that costs of Global Hawk’s flight hours
decreased, but flight hours increased to forty-percent. Now, Global Hawk costs over thirty-
thousand dollars per flight hour. Another reason drones are so controversial is because of this
negative economic effect they have on the United States.