It was just a matter of time before the U.S. Government got involved in the world of personal drones. New trends can’t go on without Uncle Sam poking around to see what they can do to stop the fun and possibly gain some new revenue in the form of fines. The Federal Aviation Administration sent a cease and desist letter postmarked March 9 to Jayson Hanes after an alleged complaint against him was filed because of his drone uploads to youtube.
Apparently you are not supposed to use personal drones for commercial uses. Hanes has his Youtube vids set up to make money from ads, but has not yet received any payments. That technicality may keep him out of trouble, but the bigger issue is the slippery slope that begins with this news. The FAA is going to try and squash the freedom of drone users.
It’s a good thing that governments weren’t around when fire was harnessed by that unknown caveman. The Earth would have remained dark for a few hundred more years while that Neanderthal government mandated just how this new fire creation should be used and who should be able to use it. I guess you would have needed to get a license to strike two rocks together back in the day.
I am well aware that some idiots will do dumb things with their drones. Idiots have to be dealt with of course. It’s a shame however that the majority of drone users have to be saddled with ridiculous regulations meant for the one percent of trouble makers. Most people know how to conduct themselves in everyday life, and that includes drone users.
I checked out Jayson Hanes’ video compilation and let me just say, it is awesome with a capital AWE! I loved the video clips of the cruise ships and the islands. His shots rising directly above cool buildings were very slick indeed. This guy has talent and his work deserves to see the light of day. Check it out below.
Is there real danger that could come from every Jimmy and Joe having a drone? Of course. Bad people do bad things with any item available to them. There should be some kind of restrictions on drones of course, but I can see this going very badly. Just another cool invention that could open up tons of new hobbies, new photography businesses, and a new art form, that could get hampered with too much government control.
I hope Hanes keeps up his great work and many others follow suit. Technology can take us to new heights, literally in this case, but heavy handed restrictions make life less than it can be. Common sense rules are needed instead.
