TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2015//
TI  - Understanding public opinion of UAVs in Canada: a 2014 analysis of survey data and its policy implications
JO  - Journal of unmanned vehicle systems
A1  - Thompson, Scott
A1  - Bracken-Roche, Ciara
SP  - 156
EP  - 175
VL  - 3
IS  - 4
N2  - This study has two aims: first, assessing the knowledge of Canadians with regard to their awareness of the use of UAV technology for data collection; and second, testing the hypothesis that public opinion regarding the use of UAVs for data collection in Canada varies by application, by institution, by collection method, and by respondent demographics. The survey contains questions regarding awareness of UAV use in Canada, as well as (i) the degree of support found for use by specific groups, (ii) for law enforcement applications, (iii) for private or industry applications, (iv) for border or coastal surveillance, and (v) for visibility and data sharing practices. Polling data also enables the comparison of UAV support against traditionally piloted aircraft and automated UAVs. This study found a majority in support of the use of UAVs for safety or emergency-response purposes. However, this support falls away in cases where UAV are used to perform routinized acts of surveillance, or identification. These findings will be useful to legislators and regulators in developing policy on UAVs that takes into account public sentiment and opinion, and for private sector actors and governments in addressing public concerns about UAVs as the industry moves forward.     Keywords: unmanned air vehicles (UAVs), survey data, public opinion, policy, Canada<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 2291-3467
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/juvs-2015-0025
ID  - ref1
ER  -