Drones are an amazing technological achievement. They can do so much. But they can also get in the way and cause a lot of problems. For instance, the aerial firefighters deployed to put out a large wildfire in San Bernardino County on Friday were forced to drop their loads and land their planes and helicopters due to drones.
A handful of drone owners sent up some drones and flew them over the affected areas at the same time. The five drones were hobby drones. Not drones capable of helping in any way. And so they were in the way.
They five drones hovered above the burning vehicles on the Interstate 15 freeway at around 3PM, so they had no choice but to circle the area for around 20 minutes to wait for them to leave. Sadly, the drones never left, and two even chased the units while they were en route to the county’s airport to land earlier than expected. So the air units had to retreat, because these smaller UAVs are considered a hazard. If one were to hit a plane or a chopper, it could end in disaster, hurting or killing the pilot, and also the people on the ground. It looks like everyone was safe in the end this time, but this situation is a danger. Drone hobbyists are going to have to learn to be more responsible.
Source Engadget
Filed Under: Technology News, Top News