"If we take one part aeronautical technology, add in two parts of miniaturization, and then maybe a dash of nanotechnology, you get a very small drone."
Let me see. If we take one part aeronautical technology, add two parts of miniaturization, and then maybe a dash of nanotechnology, you get a very small drone. Some scientists and futurists have predicted that in a few short years, drone technology will yield drones the size of insects. Right now, we have some drones slightly larger than a quarter.
Right now the United States is awash in drones. By February of this year, there were 325,000 people who registered drones. And each one of those people could have more than one drone. And that does not count folks (for whatever reason) decided not to register their drones. Yes, that could include terrorists.
Speaking of unsettling events concerning drones, last month it was disclosed there were drone overflights on the Savanna River Nuclear Site in South Carolina. Right through restricted air space. Was this just curiosity seekers? Kids trying out a new toy? Or terrorists looking for vulnerabilities on the site. And like most nuclear sites, there is a butt load of spent fuel rods stored there (because our government will not proceed with the permanent storage site at Yucca Mountain).
Drone technology is like the genie who escaped the bottle. Ain't no getting it back in that bottle now. As we know, military drones have been around for a while. Our government has boasted our drones (using Hellfire missiles), have taken a couple thousand enemy fighters off the battlefield. Drones of all sizes are used for reconnaissance.
It does not take a professional science fiction writer to imagine what tomorrow could look like. Battlefields could have millions of drones, some as small as a mosquito. These could not only be used for reconnaissance, they could also be carriers of Anthrax, VX, or some other deadly chemical or bio agent.
Drones are with us from now on. They will be part of our landscape (literally). There will continue to be more rules and regulations on how, when and where to operate them. And they will continue to get smaller with Go Pro and smaller yet camera technology.
It is a brave new world. Intrusiveness will be becoming more and more of an issue. It you are shy, keep your blinds shut. On second thought - don't bother. The miniature drones will be able to peek inside the cracks in the blinds.
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