It could be another decade before unmanned aircraft are safe enough to fly in U.S. national airspace, concluded a recent study by the Government Accountability Office. The agency confirmed what has been said by numerous experts — that unmanned aircraft don’t have adequate sensors to prevent aerial collisions. “No technology has been identified as a suitable substitute for a person on board the aircraft in seeing and avoiding other aircraft,” said GAO. Additionally, the aircraft’s communications and control links are vulnerable to radio interference.
At a time when the UAV industry is projected to boom, it’s a shame that government agencies haven’t figured out how to tackle these safety concerns. Studies predict that the United States could account for 73 percent of the world’s research and development investment in unmanned air vehicle technology over the coming decade.
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