The use of drones by hobbyists in the U.S. will jump to 3.6 million by 2021, Fortune reports.
That's more than triple the 1.1 million last year according to the Federal Aviation Administration, which tracks those numbers. Last year, over 670,000 people had registered their drones with the FAA.
The FAA will see a rise in drone use by businesses, too, reports Fortune – with 442,000 expected to be utilized in 2021. Businesses have used drones for deliveries, to provide internet coverage, surveillance, farming, to assist police officers in monitoring traffic accidents and capture crime scene photos and also catch rhino poachers.
Hobbyist drone users are not to fly over groups of people, stadiums or sporting events. They are also not allowed near emergency response efforts or near other aircraft, especially near airports.
Some people have used drones to harass livestock, which could become a crime in Utah. HB217, a bill heading to the Senate, would make it a class B misdemeanor if a person knowingly uses an ATV, dog, or drone to harm or harass livestock. If the animal is killed or seriously injured and the person is a repeat offender, they would then be charged with a Class A misdemeanor.
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