Drones Event at Brookings

In February, President Obama signed an aviation bill that will open domestic skies to “unmanned aircraft systems.” The coming proliferation of domestic drones raises a set of important privacy, safety, and national security questions. For instance, to what extent will it be legal for drones to hover 300 feet above residential neighborhoods snapping pictures into backyards and windows? What level of human-in-the-loop control is needed to ensure safety in a crowded airspace? And how can we stop terrorists from piloting drones at treetop level toward a target? On April 4, Governance Studies at Brookings will hold a forum focused on the privacy, safety and national security implications of drones in American airspace. A panel of experts will address the challenge of realizing the many potential benefits of drones while minimizing the risks that will accompany their growing use. The event will be webcast and live Tweeted at hashtag #BIDrones. After the program, speakers will take audience questions. Register here for the live webcast »  Register here to attend in person » WHEN: Wednesday, April 4, 2012, 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM (eastern) WHERE: Falk Auditorium, The Brookings Institution, 1775 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC WHO:  Introduction and Moderator: Benjamin Wittes, Senior Fellow, Governance Studies Panelists: Kenneth Anderson, Nonresident Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution; Professor of Law, Washington College of Law, American University Catherine Crump, Staff Attorney, Speech, Privacy & Technology Project, American Civil Liberties Union; Nonresident Fellow, Stanford Center for Internet and Society Paul Rosenzweig, Visiting Fellow, The Heritage Foundation; Founder, Red Branch Consulting PLLC John Villasenor, Nonresident Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution; Professor, Electrical Engineering, UCLA