Information Literacy Kevin W.

Kugel

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On 9-10-2014 the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) sent out a press release that it had issued a Waiver to the National
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg Maryland. Under this waiver a contractor under the NIST,
affiliated to the Texas Non-Profit, Equu-Search, will be able to fly unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) from 9-11-2014 until 9-15-
2014. Please note that this action by the FAA is only one point in examining this fast emerging technology and its ethical
ramifications in terms of privacy and security. The FAA has recently been over-ruled by the courts and UAVs are going up
more and more. A broader look at more articles on the topic should prove this thesis.
Please allow me this short digression, to demonstrate how every American should be concerned
about UAVs. Late last year, while driving home from my night shift at JHU, I was listening to the
98Rock morning show as usual. As I was driving past the future site of the new Amazon facility on
Holabird Avenue and Broening Highway, the radio announced that Amazon will offer packages
delivered by UAV. It seemed somehow plausible to me, having seen that Amazons facilities are
manned by robots. After seeing Amazons stock had dived, I thought it was just a smokescreen type
tactic. Less than a year later UAVs are in the news every day. It is not the type of Big News the media
inundates us with, but a slow change in policy and law that will have far-reaching effects for decades
to come.

A quick Google of the phrase UAV shows that Amazon has recently opened its Drone Store. A
search on M.S Bing also yields countless options to purchase these vehicles as well as many news
articles on their uses from agriculture to war. Lets use Google to research UAVs, they have a vested
interest as they have also announced plans to unleash as array of UAVs under the name Project
Wing.
In a ZDNET article, titled : Amazon Unveils Drone Store, Tells Users to Fly Responsibly, written by
Charlie Osborne one day before the press release by the FAA, Miss Osborne says nothing of the moral
ramifications of a sky filled with UAVs. The article only calls the drones Recreational and photography
based. A click on any of the pictures takes you to Amazon and gives you an option to purchase your
very own spy-plane. Although the article appears objective to the casual viewer, is it an Amazon
advertisement? In her article of 7-11-2014 titled: Amazon seeks approval for drone tests closer to
home, Miss Osborne quotes Amazon a few times but again doesnt deal with the issues of privacy
or security. "Granting this request will do nothing more than allow Amazon to do
what thousands of hobbyists and manufacturers of model aircraft do every day."
Amazons actual words to the press cited at the bottom of the article: "One day,
seeing Amazon Prime Air will be as normal as seeing mail trucks on the road
today, resulting in enormous benefits for consumers across the nation. We
respectfully submit this petition for exemption so that Prime Air can be ready to
launch commercial operations as soon as eventually permitted by subsequent
FAA action. Although ZDNET and Charlie Osborne have been constantly
providing information on the proliferation of UAVs, I want to know how my
small world might be affected by this.
Information Literacy Kevin W. Kugel

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For most of my technological news, I turn to Mashable. I must say that I
use this site from JHU to look at news sporadically and when my mobile
application Flipboard refers to it, so I am surprised to find a weekly
weblog called Drone Beat that I have never seen before. The weekly
report shows that several drone pilots are detained and/or arrested on a
monthly basis in the USA mostly for flying over sporting events. All of the
articles collected and commented upon by lorenzo franceschi-bicchierai are well-
referenced and linked to credible sources. This weeks Drone Beat report refers to the
Amazon article cited above. Although we do not see much field journalism on Mashable it
does reference several reputable news sources such as CNN, BBC, and the New York Times. It
demonstrates my thesis very well, by showing that Law enforcement agencies are struggling
to keep up with the misuse of this technology as it becomes readily available. Changes
relating to UAVs and Drones are definitely on the way.
A look at an article in the Charlotte Observer by Mark Washburn states the actual FAA law
FAA officials restrict aircraft operations in the vicinity of major sporting
events. Airspace over Bank of America Stadium is considered Class B
where unmanned aircraft are prohibited. Class B airspace is some of the
most restricted and includes the sky around the nations busiest airports,
including Charlotte Douglas International, according to the FAA. Which
begs the question, why was the UAV pilot released without charges?
A look at scholarly sources yields results directly associated to my thesis.
Two of the first three articles found on the Lexis Nexis search, using the
term Drone, deal directly with the impact of UAV technology on everyday
life. The first article was taken from the August 29, 2014 Friday edition of the Times
Colonist and is titled 'Creepy' drones raise concerns, calls for regulation; Homeowners, privacy
watchdog upset by camera-equipped devices hovering outside residents' windows by Katie Derossa.
Although this story takes place in Canada it clearly states "To that extent, there is a
vacuum, I think, in the law," said deputy privacy commissioner Michael
McEvoy. He said his office has received several calls about drones but he
has not investigated any formal complaints. "It's perhaps time legislators
have a look at addressing the concerns that the public have about their
privacy being invaded by these drones," McEvoy said. "And the public is
right to have these concerns."
The second article listed referred to Japan as that was where the article
was written. Although it does state similar concerns, it is not relevant to
my thesis in the way the next article was. The third article listed was a
Information Literacy Kevin W. Kugel

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human interest story taken from the 9-13-2014 Los Angeles Times
entitled Drones on the Farm. This article presented several viewpoints
from an agricultural stand. Starting with the technology in the 1990s
development became arrested when wartime controversy gave UAVs a
bad reputation in Californias political environment. The same place
Amazon wants the laws to change for its program.
In conclusion it is hard to say where the emergent technology of
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles will lead. Although there is easy access to
information on these vehicles, internet sources seem to suggest
everybody is ready for their own drone, while scholarly sources seem to
show that we are already having problems establishing who can fly them
and where. No matter where you look you are going to see drones. Even
if you are not looking at them they could still be looking at you.















Information Literacy Kevin W. Kugel

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Mashable (2014)Drone Beat By:Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai
Retrieved from:
http://mashable.com/2014/09/07/drone-beat-new-york-arrest-nasa/
http://www.zdnet.com/amazon-seeks-approval-for-drone-tests-closer-to-home-7000031487/
ZDNET (2014) Between the Lines by Charlie Osborne
Retrieved from:
http://www.zdnet.com/amazon-unveils-drone-store-tells-users-to-fly-responsibly-7000033460/
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/08/26/5130873/drone-buzzes-panthers-chiefs-
game.html#.VBsTA_ldXni by Mark Washburn 7-27-14
http://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=17014 by Christie Greco
Lexis http://www.lexisnexis.com.ccbcmd.idm.oclc.org/hottopics/lnacademic/ Times Colonist (Victoria,
British Columbia)

August 29, 2014 Friday
Final Edition

'Creepy' drones raise concerns, calls for regulation; Homeowners, privacy watchdog upset by camera-
equipped devices hovering outside residents' windows

BYLINE: Katie Derosa, Times Colonist
Los Angeles Times

September 13, 2014 Saturday
Home Edition

Drones on the farm;
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They could provide a big lift to agriculture when FAA allows their use

BYLINE: Chad Garland

SECTION: BUSINESS; Business Desk; Part B; Pg. 1