One night in early December, while relaxing at his Bay Area home, Chinese exchange student Owen Ouyang decided to have some fun. He went out to the front yard and launched a sleek new drone he had recently purchased online for about $1,000.
The drone, advertised as "easy to fly," proved anything but. Soon after takeoff, it veered dangerously toward a power line, then climbed more than 700 feet into the path of a California Highway Patrol helicopter. A head-on collision was only averted by last-minute maneuvers by the chopper's crew.
The harrowing episode illustrates a growing safety concern as more and more drones, particularly ones used for recreation, take flight into the national airspace. Their popularity is soaring, and after a growing number of near-misses, critics warn that chances of a catastrophic collision with a manned aircraft -- possibly even a commercial jetliner -- are soaring, too.
Some blame reckless operators, but others focus blame on the companies that market drones for recreational use. These devices can zoom to impressive altitudes but, the critics say, usually lack the navigation and communications systems and design quality needed to ensure safe flying.
Click here to read the full story from NBC4's non-profit journlism partner FairWarning.
