Over two in five decision makers in IT and telecoms businesses (43%) say the technology is either already in use in their industry, or will be in the future, according to the research, carried out by YouGov on behalf of law firm Charles Russell Speechlys.
Worryingly, despite their growing prevalence, on average nearly one in five (17%) of those with an opinion on future use of drones in the IT and telecoms industry say they lack knowledge about the rules and regulations surrounding their use, such as in relation to security, privacy, aerial trespassing and personal responsibility.
The use and understanding of drones within the IT and telecoms industry is in line with the wider views of businesses across a variety of sectors, according to Charles Russell Speechlys’ research. In total, 34% of senior decision makers across businesses in Great Britain said drones are either already in use in their industry, or will be in the future, and on average 18% of those with an opinion on future drone use in their industry said that they lack knowledge around some of the rules and regulations surrounding the technology.
In response to the findings, Charles Russell Speechlys is calling for greater clarity and education surrounding drone law, to help businesses realise the benefits of the technology, without exposing themselves to risk.
The firm has also today launched a new report to help businesses understand the legal issues they should be aware of when using drones.
Robert Bond, Partner at law firm Charles Russell Speechlys, specialising in the technology sector, said, “We are yet to fully understand the massive potential of drone technology to transform the way that we do business. Already, drones have had a massive impact on a wide variety of sectors, including telecoms, where they can help companies perform a range of tasks, like surveying hard-to-reach areas when there is a network problem.
“Naturally, the IT sector is responding to this demand by investing in the development of drone technology.
“But, as their use grows, it’s critical that businesses know how to use drones responsibly. It’s worrying to see that current levels of understanding when it comes to regulation are so low.
“In fairness, there is currently no clear legal framework to help businesses. While issues such as aviation are well reported, few are aware, for example, that using drones can violate the privacy rights of individuals under current data protection law.
“The Government must do more to clarify the law on drones as their use becomes more ubiquitous by both consumers and businesses.”