To Drone or not to Drone

I remember the word, drone, when it was a verb or, at best, an inglorious adjective, certainly not a hip noun. Drone used to mean going on and on about monotonous stuff that no one cared about. My, how times have changed!

Multirotors, nicknamed drones, are sweeping the country in more ways than one. Drones are often employed by the government in military operations, but also perform such mundane tasks as delivering library books for universities. Once cleared, Amazon plans to use them for thirty minute package deliveries.

This drone had been used at a local concert for aerial shots.

I was surprised to learn how accessible drones are, and in many cases, inexpensive.They're so popular that they now need to be registered with the FAA for $5.00, if they're over 0.55 pounds after the batteries, propellers,and camera are loaded.

They come in various prices, shapes, sizes, and capabilities. I've seen ads from reputable companies, such as Dell, listing sale prices of less than $100.00. Dell even offers a free drone with the purchase of a qualified computer.

Depending on the model, owners can maneuver a drone fast or slowly, near or far, and zoom in or out, take videos, aerial photos, even do 3-D. Speed, battery power, and storage differ, depending on the model.

Here's one website describing drones for sale and their capabilities.

Already, lawsuits have sprung up over drones. One person lost and must pay an $850.00 fine for shooting down a drone flying over his property.

Valid concerns are also raised about the loss of privacy from drone use, as well as safety issues.

Outside of the obvious military use, I wonder if any authors have included a drone yet in a book. Seems like a novel way to advance a plot. Do you know of any? What do you think of the idea?

Experience Morgan Mandel's diversity and versatility. Check Out Her Standalone Romantic Comedy,  Girl of My Dreams, the romantic comedy series, Her Handyman, and A Perfect Angel. For Mystery/Suspense, try Killer Career or Two Wrongs. For the small town of Deerview series: Hailey's Chance: Will Baby Make 3? and Christmas   Carol.Websites:Morgan Mandel.Com Morgan Does Chick Lit.Com. Twitter:@MorganMandel