Technology challenges inherent in safety regulation

This chapter considers challenges the drone technology evolution creates for designing regulatory frameworks. The ability for a drone to operate safely when in complex airspace and the capability of the drone to conduct a task which either reduces the first-party risk to life or has demonstrable commercial benefits (speed/cost/time) creates a complex legislative matrix. Ensuring safety while not stifling innovation further complicates a regulator’s mission. Enabling safe and secure drone operations will require a balance between effective enforcement measures, such as sufficient penalties, registration and restricted flight zones, with that of technology-based solutions, including geo-fencing, ADS-B, traffic collision avoidance systems and UTM (unmanned traffic management)