About this Issue
Drones, otherwise known as unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), promise to carry a wide array of payloads and serve a variety of different functions for use in both the public and private sectors. However, the same characteristics that make drones versatile platforms — compact design, maneuverability, load-bearing capacity, and networks of recording and sensory devices — also raise privacy issues. As regulators consider the safety challenges posed by UAS, consumers need transparency and accountability from organizations and drone operators alike on the issue of data collection. The Future of Privacy Forum supports privacy training programs for drone operators and a flexible FIPPs-based approach to drone data use in the skies.