"Invasion of the Drones" By Patricia Smith

           Drones have been increasingly used in wars for years. In fact, they've been used so much for warfare that it seems like drones make war easier. The Upfront article, "Invasion of the Drones" by Patricia Smith is about the ubiquitous use of drones, not only in wars, but also for delivering pizza and taking pictures of homes for real estate companies. In the article, Patricia Smith talks about the three main concerns for the use of drones in society. Privacy, safety, and warfare are three concerning topics that pop out when the usage of drones seemed to have too far. Additionally, there is evidence that these three problems can affect normal people. Moreover, I do not believe that drones should be used for things like deliveries, pictures, etc. 

          Drones have been posed as a threat to a person's privacy. These drones can be made with built in cameras, and can take pictures of unsuspecting people that mind their own business. For example, in the article Patricia Smith stated that drones were used by almost everyone, from farmers, to scientists, and police, the use of drones is increasing all around the world. This provides a great deal of concerns with the Fourteenth Amendment, which offers protection from "unreasonable searches and seizures." In this case, many people do not know when or where a drone may be hovering above them, which raises the question, "Does that constitute an 'unreasonable search'?" Secondly, safety has also been a widely varied concern. There has been many issues with drones getting "out of control" of their operators. "Flyaways" are drones that escape through their operators control and may crash due to software glitches, operator errors, and wind gusts. According to the article, these drones are likely to crash into buildings and trees. In another scenario, there have been dozens of incidents where drone and planes have "near misses", several where at airports in New York, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. This can put many people on the planes in harm's way. Lastly, drones have been used in wars very easily. In fact, the president can use a drone for attacking enemy locations without Congressional approval. It is said in the Constitution that the president is in charge of the military, but only Congress can declare war. Many fear that drones have made war seem more like a video game than a life-or-death situation. To add on, the usage of drones has been an upbringing of many concerns for the society's privacy, safety, and the ruling of the Constitution. 

          I believe that drones have been misused in public, and the experimental usage of drones in jobs like pizza delivery and real estate should be put to a stop. This is because, when drones are used for jobs like delivery and more, it decreases the number of jobs for a person. Someone who has been working as a delivery man may not be needed because he can be replaced by a drone. Also, the thought of drones flying around, unseen, makes people feel uncomfortable, and I don't think I would be comfortable in the situation either. However, I disagree that drones make war seem too easy. I think drones should still be used for attacking very dangerous terrorist locations, and they should be used for war. I think this because I realized that by using drones as a replacement for soldiers, and actual people in war, can actually save lives while also destroying the enemy. Furthermore, I feel as though the usage of drones in wars should continue, however I believe that usage of drones for simple jobs, like taking pictures of a house, should end.