(WWJ) – Back in the day, flying was limited to airplanes and helicopters — or maybe hot air balloons. But these days, drone technology has changed all of that.
While drones can be very helpful — and certainly entertaining — they can also pose a risk to public safety. From the simplicity of a drone falling out of the sky into a crowd of people to the extreme of a weaponized drone, lawmakers are looking to keep the public safe.
On a new Daily J podcast WWJ's Zach Clark takes a look at what's being done to keep us safe from this evolving technology.
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) says he's "very concerned" about the possibility of drones being used as weapons, as has been seen in wartime, including in Ukraine, according to the Senator.
"There's a real concern that those kinds of weapons can get in the hands of people here in the United States," Peters told Clark. "I've been working, for example, closely with the NFL who's very concerned about drone incursions over football stadiums during football games. In fact, just recently a game had to be delayed because of a drone."
Peters and two other senators introduced the Safeguarding the Homeland from the Threats Posed by Unmanned Aircraft Systems Act, which would "significantly enhance our nation's ability to counter the threat posed by unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), commonly known as drones."
David Cowan of the Downtown Detroit Partnership said his organization is "constantly evaluating and trying to balance a welcoming and friendly, open park with what you need to do to keep people safe, and that is a fine balancing act."
