Calming Down About Drones | Matt Waite | TEDxLincoln

In this show-and-tell presentation, Matt Waite draws eye-opening parallels between today’s legislative ignorance and the media battle over drone technology, and the chaos that followed the first manned plane flights. You’ll Re:Think perceptions of innovation, privacy and more.
A professor of practice at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's College of Journalism and Mass Communications, Matt Waite founded the Drone Journalism Lab there in November of 2011 to study how drones could be used to report news. Previously, he was the Senior News Technologist at the St. Petersburg Times in Florida where he developed PolitiFact, the first website to win a Pulitzer Prize in 2009.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

[@andyh426]

Extremely well thought out, explained, and said.

[@TheSnyderman101]

Brilliance speech!!

[@surrogatemarker]

Excellent perspective

[@JeffreyPhinney1959]

Can you imagine the bureaucracy that would be created just to register people to as unmanned aerial system pilots and their aircraft. I guess Hobby shops will be in the vehicle registration business also...

[@mattwaite8319]

My name is also Matt Waite

[@PropwashRotorsports]

I will be sitting in on Toy Industry Association call this afternoon where we will be talking about this recreational regulation scheme (and their reply to the FAA). I have had a change to read the draft, it is interesting. I will be posting an update on the meeting tonight; come to my Facebook page, "Propwash Rotorsports", for the story.

[@beemans60]

Well the day is here the registration starts December 21st 2015. The door is open it only swings wider.

[@GamingwithBigby]

+Bryan Mccord Except that the new regulation is almost certainly illegal. The lawsuits have already begun.

[@beemans60]

+Gaming with Bigby I agree but it is slightly besides the point. Health care law is most likely illegal and a majority of Americans don't want it. Question is what will it take to get rid of it. When it comes to government it is better to keep the door closed on some subjects than open it at all.

[@kharmachanic]

Seeing as that it is a "requirement" that the pilot of a drone in a commercial setting is required to be a certified pilot. This might work. . Have the FAA Create a "UAV level cert" and set up a 5 hours ground school and a 5 hours flight time (in an actual plane) charge 1000.00 and boom you are now certified to fly commercially, the instructors would get a winfall and that would make it cost effective and time saivng way to get into the business. As opposed to having to log 35 hours or 40 depending on the cert. and costing between 6500 and 10000 usd.

[@fdnyfish]

Why must I get in a plane and fly it? I love drones but am afraid to fly in planes. There is no need for a drone pilot to get into a real plane. Cars and bikes share the same road, does my 10 year old need to get a drivers license so she can ride her bike?

[@FinalGlideAus]

+fdnyfish As both a full size pilot and Drone pilot I agree making someone learn to fly a full size aircraft is both stupid and achieves nothing. Perhaps these government organisations should get their hands a bit more dirty and actually try to understand the things they are trying to govern a little better. They sure as hell don't right now that I can tell you.

[@fdnyfish]

+FinalGlideAus I'm all for a ground school course and drone flying test

[@billfarnham1592]

+kharmachanic I agree with FinalGlideGus. I was a pilot of real planes, too. I know the difference. It is asinine to require flight time in a "real" airplane in order to be qualified to fly a drone. Flying the drone well and knowing its peculiar safety issues is FAR more important than ANY amount of time inside an aircraft cockpit.

[@Nate0624]

+FinalGlideAus well-said. I've said before, you're a good advocate for the sport/industry.

[@PuttingOnTheFoil]

The FAA NEVER required a pilots license to fly drones. Also, drone delivery is way overhyped, as are TED talks. But yes, chill out about drones.

[@ArionRaine]

Typical journalist..... So much misinformation in this talk. You do NOT have to carry a pilots license to fly a drone. Especially the small one he clearly states that you do. There are ZERO rules that apply to that small one as it is less than 250 grams. You must have a part 107 to fly a drone commercially.. NOT a full pilots license... meaning to accept money for services you provide with the drone.

[@danyf3116]

Maybe not today but what about at the time he did his lecture? That's over 2 years ago. I have no idea myself.