A new Associated Press-GfK poll shows that Americans are skeptical that benefits of commercial drones will outweigh their potential infringement on privacy and safety.
Only 21 percent of respondents said they favored the use of commercial drones, while 43 percent said they opposed the idea and 35 percent said they held neutral views, the poll found.
Almost three-fifths said they were "extremely or very concerned that private operators could use drones in a way that violates privacy."
Women and seniors supported commercial drones the least, while college graduates and wealthier individuals were more likely to favor their use.
However, a majority of respondents did say they supported the use of drones to help map terrain through aerial photography, to monitor wildlife and to inspect oil platforms and bridges.
But when it comes to commercial delivery of small packages, similar to what Amazon previously proposed, only 1 in 4 said they liked the idea, while 39 percent were in opposition and 34 percent were neutral.
The poll found that almost the same amount of people opposed using drones to take photographs or videos at weddings and other private events. One-third opposed allowing farmers to use drones to spray crops, while another one third said they supported drone farming.
Commercial drone use is currently prohibited by the Federal Aviation Administration, with only a few exceptions, but the agency is on the verge of proposing regulations to allow the use of small drones, and thousands of drones are expected to take to the sky, AP said.
If Congress has anything to say about it, the FAA could implement the new regulations even sooner than expected, as over 100,000 jobs and $82 billion in economic impact are expected within the first 10 years of commercial drone use, according to the drone trade group, the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International.
Under the expected FAA regulations, drones will be restricted to a weight of less than 55 pounds, to flights under 400 feet high, daytime flights only and will only be allowed conduct flights within sight of their operators, according to the AP.
