Drones Present Huge Economic Impact, 'Novel Privacy Issues,' House Hearing Told

Drones are expected to have a “massive economic impact” in the U.S., but they also present “novel privacy issues,” said House Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee Chairman Michael Burgess, R-Texas, in remarks prepared for a hearing Thursday. He cited an Association for Unmanned Vehicles Systems International (AUVSI) study that said drones will generate about $82 billion for the economy and create more than 100,000 jobs in several industries. But Burgess said neighbors can use a drone to “pester you and invade your privacy … there are interesting questions around whether, how, and under what circumstances a drone owner can be identified and held to account for his or her behavior.” NTIA and the Federal Aviation Administration are discussing such issues. Intel Senior Vice President Joshua Walden said in prepared testimony that his company has “embraced Fair Information Privacy Principles (FIPPS),” which “can be applied to the drone platform and the collection, usage, and distribution of data.” For instance, he said Intel applied FIPPS in its decision to use a sensor technology to only collect the minimal data needed for collision avoidance rather than use it for other purposes. He said Intel supports NTIA’s effort to develop privacy best practices. AUVSI CEO Brian Wynne didn’t mention privacy in his prepared testimony, but said his group is urging the FAA to create regulations on safe integration of drones into the national airspace and another for small commercial drones. Without federal regulations, some municipalities and states such as New York, California and New Hampshire want to adopt their own, he said.