Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)

1) What civilian purpose, if any, are UAVs currently being used for in United States? How are these civilian UAVs regulated (if they are regulated)?

     Once the drones are certified they are used a few different ways.  These include universities that have drone programs to train interested students for their various uses, how to build them, and how to maintain the drones.  An example would be Northern Michigan College, in Traverse City, they offer a class or program to learn about drones.  Farmers could use drones to monitor their crops in fields.  Farmers could use drones for things like observing hunting areas to see if animals are living or moving in the area a hunter is going to be hunting.  Also earths scientists may find it useful to use drones for research and gathering data.  According to CNET, drones that are about the size of a shoe box or smaller are only regulated as they have to be operated within viewing distance.  Any drone that is larger than this is still currently prohibited.

2) Do you foresee UAVs integrating into the NAS? If so, how? Also, what problems do you foresee resulting from this? Be sure to include not only logistical problems, but also potential perception problems.

     I think that drones could be used with the National Security Agency.  For things like monitoring the United States borders along with more advanced tasks involving law enforcement.  They use larger type drones, mentioned that are about the size of a Cessna aircraft to monitor the United States borders for people crossing over illegally.  I found that, NASA and the Forest Service, use the drones for fighting wildfires.  They were able to use the drone for finding and mapping the fires.  The police departments were using the drones for taking photos of accident sites and also searching for criminal suspects. 

     The problems that come from using drones for security would involve interrupting ones privacy rights.  A drone could be overhead any location taking photos or monitoring things without anyone in the area knowing.  This concept, although it could be great for security and used for many things may disturb the population as a whole.  At least I believe it would cause mixed views and opinions about the government spying or invading in on ones privacy, until drones become more popular and have more regulations.

3) As for the military application of UAVs, how have they transformed military strategy? Has their integration been efficient (consider all aspects - from financial to ethical)? 

     I think that UAVs have transformed the military strategy by not having to send actual people to different areas without knowing what is going on.  The UAV can allow the military to have eyes in a sense of what is happen in the location they intend in going to investigate or move to.  This could be more of a financial consideration in the fact that if in an unstable location it might cost more to build a large UAV for the job, but if the military was just using vehicles to move to this location they could risk damage or explosion of vehicles not knowing what they are going into.  According to a FCNL, drones are seen by some as low cost for both the human and financial war alternative.

4) Finally, do some research and find out if their are UAV jobs that are advertised for civilians (both flight and management students). If so, include this as your link. If you are unable to locate a job posting, reference your above answers to brainstorm the potential for types of UAV jobs in the future.   

4) Finally, do some research and find out if their are UAV jobs that are advertised for civilians (both flight and management students). If so, include this as your link. If you are unable to locate a job posting, reference your above answers to brainstorm the potential for types of UAV jobs in the future.   

    I was able to find a job for a UAV pilot, they are looking for someone with military experience and also someone that has few years with operating a UAV.  This job, which I found from Monster does not seem like an entry level job.  A few of the other pilot UAV jobs, I found are require additional years of experience operating a UAV.  Another company Tyonek, I found was hiring for a pilot UAV position, they would like one to have a Bachelors degree and that experience could be substituted for education.