WELCOME TO THE
DRONE FUTURE
BY ANDERS WRIGHT
it seems almost quaint to think of the days when talk of drones was limited to clandestine armed forces operations . Today , drones seem to be everywhere — from the military to the marketplace , in public parks and on the White House lawn . The evolution of drones has gone from military strikes to terrific selfies , and such a wide spectrum of possibility only testifies to how broad the use of this technology promises to be .
UC San Diego is no stranger to the opportunities afforded by a drone future . Faculty , students and alumni have used them for years , and are now involved in almost every aspect of the industry — from design to development to making a livelihood from their use . Yet for as much as they have real potential to benefit society , anyone involved with drones recognizes that there are serious ethical and legal issues to be addressed , issues made more challenging due to the technology ’ s rapidly advancing evolution . From privacy to safety , to the potential to perpetuate violence , drones are truly a Pandora ’ s box that is already open .
42 TRITON | FALL 2015