I’m not familiar with drone laws in the US, but in Canada (and from what I’m understanding from the article and other people’s comments) drones are regulated by the federal government and also classify drones in the same way as airplanes. To be able to be a certified drone pilot you also need to know a lot about piloting an aircraft and we get some training in that regard to be able to be certified to fly drones. How we are supposed to fly a drone is similar to flying a plane in some respects, and we need to know how planes with people in them stay in the air. Don’t get me wrong, we are not “real pilots” in any way, shape, or form, but we’re flying in the same airspace as real planes full of real people. If we fuck up a flight - there can be very serious consequences for a drone pilot. Revoking our pilot certification, hefty fines, and even jail time.

On the surface of things, it might just look like property damage of a drone, but, as people have said elsewhere, we can’t have people shooting drones out if the air when they feel like it - this could set a dangerous precedent where simple “property damage” of a drone could cause harm or even kill someone, or many people.

How is this different from a delivery person looking in your window when they drop off something to your house? Can a delivery person also just as easily “carry weapons, biohazards, waste”? Why would a drone want to carry those things? Why would Walmart want a drone to carry those things and cause harm, as you seem to be implying here, to their customers? A drone company can be regulated and audited to make sure privacy laws are being followed.

Will an infraction occur with a drone? Probably. And then people will have grounds to sue and laws will be built to protect people and their privacy (I hope!).

Drone delivery is coming - how do you want to see this tech being used responsibly?

Yes, you’re right everything can cause serious harm or kill, but certain things are designed to harm or kill, or designed to look like something that could harm or kill.

Context is a big factor here. A person holding a 6 inch knife in a kitchen? No one is going to bat an eye. They’re probably using that knife to prep vegetables. Same knife, same person but they are walking around a market/playground/movie theatre? Suddenly it’s a very different situation and context.

Is that stranger with the knife safe? I don’t know, but I do know that I don’t have anything to defend myself aside from what is around me if they ARE NOT a safe person.