Support for LAist comes from
Become a sponsor
Audience-funded nonprofit news
Donate
Stay Connected

LAist is part of Southern California Public Radio, a member-supported public media network.

Audience-funded nonprofit news
Listen
Donate
Podcasts Take Two
How could use of drones create jobs, benefit economy?
solid orange rectangular banner
()
Take Two Logo
May 23, 2013
Listen • 5:26
How could use of drones create jobs, benefit economy?
Regardless of how the government revises their framework for using unmanned drones in military strikes, there's broad agreement that they will have a wide variety of civilian uses. One recent study estimated drones could create tens of thousands of new jobs, and as much $80 billion in new economic activity over the coming decade.
Deputy Troy Sella from the new technology department of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department (LASD) launches the SkySeer Unmanned Arial Vehicle (UAV) drone, 16 June 2006 at a demonstration flight in Redlands, California. The LASD plans to purchase SkySeer drones to carry out surveillance and rescue operations. It will be the first time UAVs, long used by the military in war zones, will be used by law enforcement.
Deputy Troy Sella from the new technology department of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department (LASD) launches the SkySeer Unmanned Arial Vehicle (UAV) drone, 16 June 2006 at a demonstration flight in Redlands, California. The LASD plans to purchase SkySeer drones to carry out surveillance and rescue operations. It will be the first time UAVs, long used by the military in war zones, will be used by law enforcement.
(
ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images
)

Regardless of how the government revises their framework for using unmanned drones in military strikes, there's broad agreement that they will have a wide variety of civilian uses. One recent study estimated drones could create tens of thousands of new jobs, and as much $80 billion in new economic activity over the coming decade.

Regardless of how the government revises their framework for using unmanned drones in military strikes, there's broad agreement that they will have a wide variety of civilian uses. One recent study estimated drones could create tens of thousands of new jobs, and as much $80 billion in new economic activity over the coming decade.

Joining us with more on what a drone-enabled future might look like is Jason Koebler, a reporter with US New and World Report who has written extensively about non-military drones.