Maybe we should blame sci-fi movies. Or Isaac Asimov. Or our own governmentâs military use of unmanned aerial vehicles for bombing raids. For whatever reason, the word âdroneâ brings with it an almost militaristic, secretive connotation.
Yet so-called âdronesâ can be useful tools, in various ways: farmers use drones to deal with feral hogsâ¦Amazon.comâs CEO is talking about a future filled with âdelivery dronesâ that drop packages on your doorstep. Of course, there are implications â legal, technologicalâ¦and moral.
On today’s Houston Matters, we’ll talk with Michael Buscher, founder and CEO of Vanguard, a Houston-based manufacturer of drones. Vangaurd makes the ShadowHawk Unmanned Aerial System. We’ll learn who uses it and how. Then we’ll talk with Professor Geoffrey Corn from the South Texas College of Law. He’s a former military lawyer and an expert on drone issues. We’ll discuss who legally can use them and for what purposes, how you get licensed for them, and we’ll discuss the implications they raise for privacy and security. And we’ll welcome any thoughts you have about a future in which unmanned objects could be in flight in and around Houston.
Also: Houston, like any city, has its share of trails for hiking, biking, walking, and running. From Hermann Park to Buffalo Bayou park, to Tinsley and Memorial parks, where do you like to go to exercise and how do you do it? Weâll talk with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Joshua Harris from Houston Methodist Orthopedics and Sports Medicine and Shahin Naghavi, the owner and coach of CrossFitEaDo.com about CrossFit and other running and fitness programs active in Houston.
And: we’ll discuss the weekend in sports with MK Bower, sports columnist with CultureMap Houston.
