Yahoo TV

Amateur photographers and videographers have been using hobby drones for years, capturing breath taking footage from the air. They have been used to inspect buildings, towers, wind turbines, search remote areas, and even to find lost people and animals. They are used for providing unique perspectives of landscapes, cities, and weddings. They accomplish a lot of amazing things and can be used at a fraction of the cost of aircraft. As drones become more popular and more widely used, their abilities increase dramatically and the cost continues to drop. This drone videographer has purchased the latest DJI Mavic 3 Pro, a drone designed to be affordable to the average consumer at a price that is short of $2,000 for a basic drone and controller package. The drone weighs less than 1kg (2.2lbs) and can be launched in seconds. It flies at nearly 45km/h (27mph) and can stay in the air approximately 45 minutes. But when we look at the capabilities of these drones for seeing things at a distance, it is easy to understand why people are concerned about their privacy. This drone pilot took his camera to a height of 120m (400 feet), in accordance with local regulations. He has registered the drone and he has obtained certification to fly it. Everything about this flight is legal. When he films the cows in a neighbouring field, we can see that they are just specs in the distance, barely recognizable as anything. With the touch of a button, the camera reaches 3x and 7x optical zoom. It is progressively increased to 60x (digital and optical combined). We can now see clearly enough to recognize individual cows and see that they are eating. If the drone had been focused on people, we would have no trouble recognizing a face, yet the drone is far enough away that the person being observed would not hear or see the drone. The ethical considerations have become very complex, with heated debate on all sides about whether there should be tighter laws regarding safety and privacy. Fortunately, as the drones become more sophisticated, the laws have become stricter. But we have to ask ourselves if we are ever going to enjoy full privacy in these times of technological advancement.