1. Besides military usage, there are several ways in which drones or UAVs are used. The major use for UAVs is agriculture and public safety. Those industries account for 90% of civilian UAV usage according to a report that was done in 2013. Farmers use drones to fly over crops in order to keep track of produce, and to see if there are any diseased plants. They also use UAVs to scare off animals that might harm crops. UAVs could be outfitted with thermal imaging cameras for public safety missions (Scozaldra, 2015).
UAVs have also been replacing helicopters to cover high speed chases on TV. Additionally, they have also been used for arial photography.
According to the FAA, there is no license requirement for a UAV for fun. However, there are certain rules that must be followed. If the UAV is over 0.55 lbs., it must be registered with the FAA. No prior notification hast to be given to airports if they are flown more than 5 miles away. If the UAV is flown within 5 miles, then the ATC tower has to be notified. The UAV must always yield right of way to manned aircraft, and must be operated within visual line of sight of operator. UAVs cannot be heavier than 55 lbs. Public law 112-95 section 336 cover recreational or "fun" use of UAV operations. ("Getting Started" n.d)
For commercial operation of UAVs, a Remote Airman Certificate must be obtained. Certificate holder must be at least 16 years old and a TSA clearance must be obtained. UAVs may be used in class G airspace. Also, UAVs must be operated within visual line of sight. The UAV cannot be heavier than 55 lbs., and it may not be flown higher than 400 feet. UAV must only be operated during the day, they must not be flown over people, and they must not be operated from moving vehicles. 14 CFR PART 107 cover UAV commercial operations. ("Getting Started" n.d)
2. I definitely see UAVs integrating into the national airspace system. I believe that the FAA will be more involved in regulating the operations of UAVs. Currently, the popularity of UAVs is on the rise, and I feel that it will continue to rise. Since we always hear about UAV incidents on different media platforms, I believe that the FAA will eventually step in and start regulating operations more rigorously. I feel that the current UAV laws are too vague and not detailed enough. Because of their continued popularity and increase in use, the odds of an accident happening are increasing. Anyone can purchase a drone and use it recreationally, and sadly, there are many people out there who do not follow laws and regulations. I think that the FAA will eventually require certification for all UAV operations, not just commercial. Also, the methods and qualifications to earn a certification will be more detailed and more difficult than they currently are. The major problem I see of UAV integration is public confusion on what is allowed and what isn't. Because of their accessibility and affordability, the part of the population that will need certification is large, unlike pilots. Spreading the word is going to be difficult for the FAA.
3. Drones are increasingly being used in military operations by the United States. By 2013, the U.S had 8000 military drones. Between 2004 and 2013, U.S drones have killed between 1953 and 3279 people in Pakistan, according to the New American Foundation since (Levs, 2013). It is estimated that 18% to 23% of those people are civilian. The major benefit for their integration is that military drones have saved the lives of military personnel. Targets are able to get hit without putting the lives of military personnel in danger, since they can operate the drones from remote spots. There have been no benefits to protect civilian lives by the use of UAVs according to studies done by two prestigious U.S universities. There has been no proof to their precision and accuracy (Levs, 2013).
4. I simply searched of "UAV" in indeed.com, and I found an aerial photographer job. It requires the employee to own a UAV along with a camera. The applier must have an FAA certificate for commercial operations as well. This job is a contract position. https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Dronegenuity-LLC/jobs/Aerial-Photographer-94b1446605418ea9?q=UAV
References
Szoldra, P (2105). Here's How Drones are Going to Completely Take Over the Skies. Business Insider.
Retrieved From: Industrieshttp://www.businessinsider.com/drone-innovation-uses-2015-12/#there-are-many-other-uses-for-civilian-drones--an-industry-that-could-generate-upwards-of-82-billion-in-the-next-decade-10
Getting Started (n.d). Federal Aviation Administration.
Retrieved From: https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started/
Levs, J (2013). CNN Explains: U.S Drones. CNN.
Retrieved From: http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/07/politics/drones-cnn-explains/
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