Medical flights and drones have often been at loggerheads. The reason is obvious. When irresponsible drone flyers ignore safety while pursuing their hobby, they put lives in danger. The consequences can be fatal. It is often seen that drone flyers fail to register themselves with the relevant authorities, considering them just toys.
Medical flights often fly at low altitudes and so do the drones. When their paths meet, the medical flights are forced to land and abandon their rescue efforts. This can result in circumstances where patients are unable to get treatment at the right time. The medical outcome can change simply because a hobbyist was pursuing what he considers entertainment.
Local Communities Must be Sympathetic towards Medical Flights
The local communities must be well-educated when it comes to the need for medical flights. Drones must be registered and the best practices to fly them must be followed at all times. Anyone who flouts the rules must be reported immediately and there must be consequences for being irresponsible. In this context, it must be noted that it is tough to track down the owners of drones and hold them responsible for their actions. Community members can contribute to making monitoring effective.
Rules Must be Put in Place
The Federal Aviation Authority has already put in place a few rules when it comes to drones. Flyers must adhere to them. Better still, a mechanism where all drones are registered with the local authorities is a good idea. Permits must be made essential to fly them within city limits. The city authorities must also have the power to restrict or ban trouble-causing individuals from flying drones. Measures like these will keep the medical flights away from harm’s way and the local communities too can benefit hugely. After all, it is the people of the community that benefit from emergency services the most.
