[gview file=”http://dronecenter.bard.edu/files/2017/04/CSD-Drone-Incidents.pdf”]
As drones become more common in U.S. skies, so too do incidents in which drone operators find themselves, either intentionally or unintentionally, running up against the law. This is not unique to unmanned aircraft technology. When the automobile proliferated, traffic accidents and violations became more common. Even with today’s well-established and strictly enforced traffic laws, violations and incidents still happen on the country’s roads. “Drone Incidents: A Survey of Legal Cases” serves as a short profile of 30 incidents involving drone use in the U.S. that resulted in some form of legal or disciplinary action by a local authority, in addition to a small number of incidents handled by the National Park Service and the Department of Justice. Our study demonstrates some of the challenges of effectively and consistently enforcing the rules governing drone use in the country.