article on legislation banning UAVs in Texas... ouch
MF
Adam Durham
I am not a big Political Action Committee guy, but I plan on writing SUAS News, AUVSI and State Rep Lance Gooden (http://www.lancegooden.com/) and I will try to do my part to pull this weed before it takes root. I know I am preaching to the choir here, but if we are not proactive in this young industry it will take years to undo the damage.
Hunter Parris
On Tuesday, February 5, 2013 4:55:16 PM UTC-6, MF wrote:
http://www.texastribune.org/2013/02/04/lege-could-ban-drone-surveillance-private-property/?utm_source=texastribune.org&utm_medium=alerts&utm_campaign=News%20Alert:%20Subscriptions
Hunter Parris
6 February 2013
Honorable Lance Gooden
4th District, Texas House of Representatives
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
Dear Representative Gooden,
I would first like to thank you for your service as a State Representative to the 4th District of the great State of Texas.
My name is Hunter Parris, and I am a military veteran living in San Antonio. I work full time as a government contractor and have the American dream of one day owning my own business. Currently I work part-time on a small team of developers who specialize in the advancement of technology in the areas of public service, agriculture, wildlife management, and geographical analysis. We achieve this through means of small, low-cost solutions that the average land-owner or public service entity can afford, maintain and transport.
Throughout this letter you will find my usage of the term Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) instead of the colloquial term “drone.” This is due to the fact that I find the term “drone” to ascertainably define a vehicle which flies aimlessly with no further input from the ground on a search and destroy mission. This is not how I define an unmanned system. I define a UAS as an extension of one’s self to inspect, survey, and collect pertinent data from areas otherwise unreachable except by expensive and, occasionally, dangerous means. Operating a sophisticated UAS is time-consuming, intricate, and tedious work. The vehicle responds to commands from the Control Station to complete certain robotic tasks. At no time does the UAS conduct flights without specific details from the human control element. The electronics are what essentially makes it a UAS. Both manned aircraft and unmanned aircraft have an autopilot system that aids in the stabilization and navigation of the aircraft, but in both cases, there is always a pilot ready to act at a moment’s notice.
The potential benefits of UASs are almost endless. It can safeguard a pilot flying in conditions that could pose a threat to life or limb such as monitoring a massive forest-fire where smoke inhalation is imminent and vision is obscured. A vehicle can fly a designated flight path to survey oil land estate using Laser Range-finding reducing the need for expensive survey crews and their equipment. Wind mills and oil jacks can be closely inspected for over heating or leaks in remote locations and impassible terrain. Search and rescue efforts could be drastically improved by limiting the use of manned vehicles and pilots which can operate only for a short time. The manned aircraft would be used only after the location has been confirmed by the unmanned vehicle, cutting government cost and allowing the assets to be used more effectively and efficiently.
This is a very sensitive subject to a lot of Americans in regards to our Constitutional rights when this technology is misused by government entities for the sheer purpose of spying on its citizens. I am a red-blooded American Libertarian who believes in, and has fought for, the liberties and freedoms that we enjoy on a daily basis. Because of this reason, I believe the government and law enforcement should be held to a higher standard to respect the rights of the people and only use methods of search and seizure that are Constitutional and approved by the Judicial system. I, however, do not believe in illegalizing a technology that has proven to be very effective in many areas of development that could potentially place America back at the top above China and countries of the like.
Legal, moral, and ethical uses of new technology have always been one of the key components in the hindrance of technological advancement in America. When the computer was invented it was known to be the “Devil’s box” as such with the Internet. The advantages of computers and the Internet by far prevail over the disadvantages. People misuse technology; that is the nature of the beast. However, a far better method of reducing misuse is through proper education, respect, and understanding of the technology at use. Just because there is illegal or pornographic material on the internet does not indicate that most Americans will indulge in such things. The same concept applies to UASs. Many Americans do not see the potential of using this technology to our advantage instead of ruling it as immoral or unconstitutional. It is the goal of our team to reach out to the local communities to aid in educating the people about the excellent benefits of this new technology as well the ethical practice of using these systems.
I conclude this letter by thanking you, sir, for taking the time from your schedule to read this. I love this state, country and the freedoms we enjoy in our daily lives. The views I have stated in this letter are the same views I have on gun control in this country. The gun is not the enemy; it is the misuse of this tool that makes it a crime. This Administration is in a knee jerk reaction to recent acts of violence that have nothing to do with the tools used but the people using them. I am asking you, as an American citizen and resident of Texas, to not do the same by pursuing this Bill proposing the illegalization of this great technology. Thank you again for your service to this great state. God Bless.
Sincerely,
Hunter Parris
Fmr. U.S. Army Staff Sergeant
San Antonio, TX 78245