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OPINION

Drone age takes flight, and FAA's not ready: Our view

The Editorial Board
USATODAY
Drone that crashed onto the White House grounds early Monday.

A drunken man's 3 a.m. drone flight into President Obama's backyard Monday revealed a fresh vulnerability in White House security, but as risks go, the incident doesn't suggest there's much to worry about. A 2-pound drone can't do much damage to a heavily fortified building, even flying at its top speed of 20 mph-30 mph.

Rather, the incident sends a high-profile message that the drone age is taking full flight, and bringing with it a host of issues about security, safety and privacy that have yet to be addressed.

For the White House and other sensitive facilities, the need is easy to define: technology — now lacking — to detect drones of all types and weapons to quickly and safely disable small drones that could one day carry explosives.

The Secret Service appears to have neither, but options are emerging as the need grows. The military, for instance, is deploying ship-based laser cannons, a technology that might be adapted for use against small drones.

And if the Secret Service wants to explore an innovative detection system, it might pick up some tips from South Carolina's prison officials, who are having their own issues with drones that fly over the walls at night to deliver contraband. They are fighting back with taller guard towers and thermal imaging devices. Other experts suggest using acoustic devices that can hear drone propellers' high-pitched buzz.

But in other areas of life, where technology is not the answer to the issues drones raise, solutions appear more elusive.

Drones can evade privacy in new and challenging ways, for instance, and legislators and regulators are struggling to keep up.

The issues are complex — from law enforcement use of drones to watch people from the sky to private peeping and overflights of private land. In one constitutionally fraught example, Mississippi is considering a law to ban private individuals from taking photos or videos from drones. This is an area where states can lead.

A more immediate threat is the repeated close calls that have been reported between drones and airliners, helicopters and private planes. Ask people who got drones for Christmas where they can be flown, and chances are they don't have a clue about guidelines that they keep their machines within sight and below 400 feet, a standard designed for model airplanes. On Wednesday, the Federal Aviation Administration warned Super Bowl fans to leave their drones at home, and a few fines or arrests for violating restricted airspace might get operators' attention.

On top of these concerns is the larger issue of how to establish rules for commercial use of drones, which is now illegal without FAA permission. The FAA was supposed to have a legal framework this year, but now final rules are unlikely until 2016 or 2017, and the agency is dribbling out special permissions.

The FAA is charged with regulating the nation's airspace, but so far it seems overwhelmed by the challenge of fitting drones into the plan. While the agency dithers, thousands of hobbyists and businesses are figuring it out on their own, some safely, some not.

With a drone down on the White House lawn, everyone should get the message that it's time to speed things up.

USA TODAY's editorial opinions are decided by its Editorial Board, separate from the news staff. Most editorials are coupled with an opposing view — a unique USA TODAY feature.

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