When an Amtrak train derailed in Vermont in early October, first responders relied on a drone to produce mapping-grade images for the accident investigation. That's one example of the powerful benefits that drones can provide, their operators say.
The generic term 'drone' has been applied to everything from pilot-less military planes to hobbyist quad-copters. Operators of commercial unmanned aerial systems says drones can be used in diverse ways -- from assessing natural disasters to monitoring traffic patterns to measuring heat loss from buildings. But they say antiquated regulation is ill-prepared to handle new technological, safety and privacy questions of drones. We look at these questions with our guest Jon Budreski of AirShark, the first commercial drone operator in Vermont, and Jarlath O'Neil-Dunne, of UVM's Spatial Analysis Laboratory. Also in the discussion, Allen Gilbert of the Vermont ACLU explains the limits his organization wants to see on police use of drones.
Also on the program, Lisa Lynn, editor and co-publisher of VT Ski+Ride, points us to skiing and snowboarding deals that could have you on mountains around the state, country or the world.
Broadcast live on Thurs., Oct. 15, 2015 at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.
