New research reveals the extent to which drones are taking off in business, despite poor knowledge of some of the rules surrounding their use.
One in three business decision makers (34%) say the technology is either already in use in their industry, or will be in the future, according to the research, carried out by YouGov on behalf of law firm Charles Russell Speechlys.
Worryingly, despite their growing prevalence, on average, over half (55%) of those that predict the use of drones in their industry say they lack knowledge about the rules and regulations, such as in relation to security, privacy, aerial trespassing and personal responsibility.
In response to the findings, Charles Russell Speechlys is calling for greater clarity and education surrounding drone law, to help businesses realise the benefits of the technology, without exposing themselves to risk.
The firm has also today launched a new report to help businesses understand the legal issues they should be aware of when using drones.
Robert Bond, Partner at Charles Russell Speechlys, said: “We are yet to fully understand the massive potential of drone technology to transform the way that we do business. Already, drones have had a massive impact on a wide variety of sectors, such as construction, and that’s really just the tip of the iceberg.
“But, as their use grows, it’s critical that businesses know how to use drones responsibly, so it’s worrying to see that current levels of understanding when it comes to regulation are so low.
“In fairness, there is currently no clear legal framework to help them. While issues such as aviation are well reported, few are aware, for example, that using drones can violate the privacy rights of individuals under current data protection law.
“The Government must do more to clarify the law on drones as their use becomes more ubiquitous by both consumers and businesses.”
(Source: Charles Russell Speechlys)
