Building trust in drones - education video transcript

Andrew Sage
Head of Unified Traffic Management at NATS

If the UK is to benefit from the vast potential of drones, it is important to increase understanding and trust among businesses and the public.

And unlike commercial aviation, this is not just about safety - drones have a very different relationship with the public and business - and we have to recognise that.

Businesses need to understand how drones can increase efficiency, improve safety and help them open up new opportunities via the skies.

The public need to understand how drones work, how they are managed and controlled, and what is in it for them.

None of us should expect somebody to trust something they don’t understand or can’t see the benefit of. And we all have a role to play in increasing that understanding.

We must tackle concerns such as noise, privacy and safety head on. But we must also be clear about the benefits drones can bring. They can make our streets safer, they can speed up the delivery of medical supplies and emergency response times. They can take traffic off our roads. They can help businesses survey large areas or inhospitable environments quickly and safely.

But a lack of public trust and business understanding is likely to dictate the rate of adoption of drones and prevent the UK experiencing the benefits of drones. Indeed, that is the limiting factor for some operators that we are working with, not regulation or technology.

So businesses need to get on the front foot, with some simple steps to help educate the public and increase their own understanding. Explore all possible public concerns. Factor them into your planning and your communications.

And finally…

People are smart. They won't trust something by simply being told.

They have to see it for themselves and experience the benefit.

So whilst education is key, it is no substitute for getting out there and starting to operate drones, because only then will businesses understand the benefit and the public will begin to trust drones as part of their daily life.