Absolutely not safe for national airspace
While I worked with UAVs a short while ago, we lost 6 over a 6 moth period. Only one loss was to pilot error. Significant damage to a helicopter when it hit a small drone. They can neither detect and avoid nor see and avoid.
There are a number of UAVs flying in the US now but MOSTLY in restricted airspace or airspace that has been coordinated with the FAA. Think US Border Patrol.
When they fail, rarely will the operator have the opportunity to direct it to its point of demise. Nor will the operator know for sure the location of the crash site until someone stumbles upon it.
UAVs will have a place in our country, but we are in the Jenny phase and advocates want to move into commercial jet age now--they are absolutely not ready for prime time. They will be one day. But not in the next few thousand.
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