Paul Stock of Librairie Astro in Montreal, Canada writes in to share his thoughts on a future where aerial drones are common place (see "Amazon Applies for Drone Permits").
 
Recently I've been somewhat dismayed whenever I come across a story about the innovative use of drones.  And Amazon seeking FAA approval story is no exception; although it does offer a glimmer of hope.  If they are allowed to go ahead with this delivery project, given Amazon's massive number of daily shipments, I can foresee a not-too-distant future where drones flitting around a neighborhood will be more common and less remarkable than those ubiquitous UPS trucks.
 
Given that these things can be bought (at Amazon itself) for as little as fifty bucks, I can also foresee some latter-day Tim McVeigh choosing to use one to "deliver" a couple of sticks of dynamite to whatever  company, government office, or  school that's annoyed him.  The "glimmer of hope" lies in an FAA refusal of Amazon's request, and possibly an outright banning of their sale and use except under carefully regulated and controlled circumstances.
 
The opinions expressed in this Talk Back are solely those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial staff of ICv2.com