Using Drones to Study Human Beings: Ethical and Regulatory Issues

• Published in: Science and engineering ethics Vol. 25; no. 3; pp. 707 - 718
• Main Authors: Resnik, David B., Elliott, Kevin C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.06.2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Air pollution; Air pollution measurements; Aircraft; Animal populations; Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering; Confidentiality; Consent; Data Collection - ethics; Data Collection - legislation & jurisprudence; Drone aircraft; Drone vehicles; Drones; Education; Engineering; Ethics; Ethics Committees, Research; Ethics, Research; Federal regulation; Forest fires; Glaciers; Government agencies; Human beings; Human subjects; Humans; Informed Consent; Medical research; Medicine/Public Health; National security; Original Paper; Philosophy; Philosophy of Science; Population Surveillance; Privacy; Regulation; Research Subjects - legislation & jurisprudence; Residence Characteristics; Review boards; Studies; Unmanned aerial vehicles; Wildlife; Wildlife conservation; Privacy; Ethics; Confidentiality; Consent; Regulation; Research; Drones
• ISSN: 1353-3452; 1471-5546; 1471-5546
• DOI: 10.1007/s11948-018-0032-6

Researchers have used drones to track wildlife populations, monitor forest fires, map glaciers, and measure air pollution but have only begun to consider how to use these unmanned aerial vehicles to study human beings. The potential use of drones to study public gatherings or other human activities raises novel issues of privacy, confidentiality, and consent, which this article explores in depth. It argues that drone research could fall into several different categories: non-human subjects research (HSR), exempt HSR, or non-exempt HSR. In the case of non-exempt HSR, it will be difficult for institutional review boards to approve studies unless they are designed so that informed consent can be waived. Whether drone research is non-HSR, exempt HSR, or non-exempt HSR, it is important for investigators to consult communities which could be affected by the research.