GAME OF DRONES
The drone revolution has finally entered the American psyche. In fact, in late-December, the Federal Aviation Administration revealed that they have chosen several sites in a number of states to test unmanned drones in order to integrate them into our national airspace. The climate has certainly changed and unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones - will be written by professional journalists, who offer a fresh perspective and an objective eye that will give you a well-rounded look at big topics. Our reporters L.A. Rivera, Amy Armstrong and Monica Link have chronicled a story dubbed, “Year Of The Drones,” which looks into the future of drones in America.
The drone revolution has finally entered the American psyche. In fact, in late-December, the Federal Aviation Administration revealed that they have chosen several sites in a number of states to test unmanned drones in order to integrate them into our national airspace. The climate has certainly changed and unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones - will be written by professional journalists, who offer a fresh perspective and an objective eye that will give you a well-rounded look at big topics. Our reporters L.A. Rivera, Amy Armstrong and Monica Link have chronicled a story dubbed, “Year Of The Drones,” which looks into the future of drones in America.
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2015:<br />
Year of the Drones<br />
U.S. Technology Flourishes despite Fears<br />
Reported by L.A. Rivera, Amy Armstrong and Monica Link<br />
Over the last several years, the<br />
inevitability of unmanned<br />
drones soaring overhead<br />
in the U.S. skies has been<br />
a controversial subject for countless<br />
military and governmental experts,<br />
as well as many technology and policy<br />
analysts in this country. In fact, last<br />
February Congress ordered the Federal<br />
Aviation Administration to open up<br />
the skies to drones by September 2015.<br />
But imagine a cluster of metallic<br />
birds hovering everywhere in the U.S.<br />
skies, whizzing across urban cities and<br />
rural areas alike, causing chaos and<br />
alarming the masses. Techno-thriller<br />
writer Daniel Suarez, in his novel “Kill<br />
Decision,” tells the story of a group<br />
of rebels who produce robotic drones<br />
that can recognize enemies and make<br />
the premeditated decision to kill them<br />
without human intervention.<br />
For over two decades, the former IT<br />
consultant said that he designed logistics<br />
systems for major corporations<br />
and the military in the Silicon Valley<br />
and throughout the U.S. Today, Suarez<br />
is close to being a drone expert.<br />
“Drone technology is a technology<br />
whose time has come,” says the former<br />
the tech-head, from his home in California.<br />
“Like most new technologies,<br />
we have to figure out how to incorporate<br />
it into our society without radically<br />
altering society. We have done that<br />
with many things: cell phones, radios,<br />
the Internet and email, and we grappled<br />
with these things.” Suarez continues,<br />
“It’s always complex, but we<br />
still need to adopt these (new) things.<br />
I think corporate systems will be used,<br />
and I think many companies that will<br />
have the most success and receive the<br />
least public resistance will use it internally.<br />
One industry is precision agriculture,<br />
where they will be helping to<br />
maintain crops in very rural places.”<br />
He added, “Where there aren't many<br />
people who will be disturbed by their<br />
presence.”<br />
However, Suarez said that corporate<br />
America has already embraced the<br />
new technology. “I think it will be used<br />
in logistics by many corporations. But I<br />
think internally it will be used in automated<br />
warehouses. Amazon proposed<br />
using drones to deliver packages.” he<br />
explains. “I don’t see that as a realistic<br />
(goal), because I see tremendous complications.<br />
There are liability issues.<br />
For example, a 55-pound drone could<br />
fall on somebody’s head,” he pauses.<br />
“But they will use them in the warehouse<br />
(distribution centers).”<br />
According to Suarez, one problematic<br />
issue surrounding the use of drones<br />
is that the impetus for automated warfare<br />
seems inevitable. “There are a<br />
number of people within the Defense<br />
Department who have a problem with<br />
it,” he added. “Back in November of<br />
last year, the Pentagon said that human<br />
beings must be in the loop when<br />
a lethal decision has to be made with<br />
a drone or with automatic sniper stations.<br />
That’s why I wrote ‘Kill Decision,’<br />
” he remarked.<br />
On the international front, however,<br />
the Middle East continues to be a sorely<br />
troubled spot. In Pakistan, for example,<br />
U.S. assassination drone strikes<br />
THE SUIT MAGAZINE - DEC / JAN 2014
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