Pro's and Con's of the Use of UAVs

Obviously there are benefits and downsides to using drones to assist areas in trouble. Typically when you think of drones, you think of a electric bird peeking in through your curtains. However their use is obvious in rescue efforts. So let's list out the benefits and the downsides!

Pro's

• Up until recently, images of distraught countries were obtained through satellites. Satellites have a high number of limitations, including cost, data sharing restrictions, cloud cover, and time needed to acquire the image. These are all issues that do not restrict drones.
• Unlike satellites, the public can actually own drones. This means that disaster-affected areas can launch their own UAVs in response to a crisis. Many companies are actively trying to to include the community in their humanitarian responses. Compare it to the use of social media to gain traction, like the Ice Bucket Challenge theoretically raised money for ALS.
• UAVs can capture aerial imagery at a far higher resolution, and they are able to do it at a quicker pace and a lower cost.
• Because drones are unmanned, drones can access difficult areas and gather data that would be considered unsafe or impossible to reach.

Con's

• There is a really significant stigma surrounding drones, either as invasive or machines of war. It's this sigma that has caused legislation action from some states, such as Seattle's recent choice to remove the police department's drone program.
• For drones to be part of the emergency protocol, hobbyists need to avoid irresponsible behavior that would increase this stigma and overshadow the benefits from UAVs.
• If a drone is being used as a emergency tool, it will need certifications and authorization. This is something that isn't required when UAVs are being used as toys.
• In order to implement something like this, there are a lot of barriers that need to be hurdled, such as collision avoidance, command, and control support. 

Basically... 

The biggest issues with using drones for humanitarian aid are the public perception of drones, as well as the basic problems that surround implementing a whole new system of this caliber. This is to be expected, and it's important to keep in mind that we're not currently discussing the complete and total takeover of drones. We're talking entirely about using unmanned aircraft to bring water to stranded hikers, or search for survivors of a hurricane, and you would be hard-pressed to find someone who thinks that this is a bad thing.