Forget Weird, More Like Well-Monitored - Drones Coming to Austin

The Statesman published a really in-depth story about the emerging drone industry in Austin, led by DJI Innovations, a Chinese company that's recently set up shop in the overly-hip high tech hub:

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"Drones are showing up in this country in increasing numbers -- and they could be coming to a neighborhood near you."

The article discusses the many sides of drones - from vantage points for photographers wanting to get that perfect aerial shot, to inspectors of tall equipment, like telephone poles.

In addition to being versatile, they're also affordable and easy to build:

"The company's Phantom drone, which debuted in January, costs less than $700. The small four-rotor copter also is relatively easy to fly and to navigate."

While the Statesman gets occasionally distracted by the complex issues of privacy created by drones, it focuses on how harmless and fun drones are. DJI Innovations is the "global leader in UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) design."

Fortunately, drones aren't the only ones watching our backs. So is State Rep Lance Cooden:

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"Texas state Rep. Lance Gooden, R-Athens, authored one of the first drone regulation laws in the nation that passed in the regular session of the legislature.

The law prohibits "indiscriminate surveillance" by drone without a warrant or use of it for malicious intent."

It intrigues me that so, so many drone-related news reports and sightings popped up right after the subject got attention from the mainstream media. Remember when a guy at SXSW told us 30,000 drones would be patrolling Austin by 2020? I highly doubt drones were that much more uncommon before CNN, Fox News and the gang acknowledged their presence and seemingly got on Obama's case for it.

Perhaps we're just finally opening our eyes wide enough to see them... Them?