When it comes to drones — “unmanned aerial vehicles” — San Diego may be second to none, at least in the U.S. We’ve been called the “hub of the U.S. drone industry” thanks to hundreds of millions of dollars in military contracts.
It looks like drones will become an even bigger part of the local economy. Now, hot off her inquiry into SeaWorld, VOSD reporter Lisa Halverstadt is launching a new questto understand the role drones play here and the debate over what services they can provide.
Halverstadt writes: “Both the possibilities and the current reality of the industry raise big economic and moral questions for San Diego residents, who stand to benefit from their success and also to be hampered by it in the form of intrusive spying or malfunction-caused injuries.”
Here are some questions she’ll be pursuing:
“How big is San Diego’s drone footprint, anyway? How many companies in our region play some role in unmanned systems technology – whether for military purposes or for commercial uses? How are drones already being used here? Is San Diego’s drone industry sustainable, and are there needs that aren’t being met, particularly at area universities? How are local boosters positioning our region for commercial drones’ market launch? What are the specific privacy concerns that could stymie those efforts, and are there ways to address them? And are San Diegans inclined to support both government and commercial uses of drones?”
For Business Owners, New Health Insurance Hassles
Health care reform seemed to be a boon for Allen Phillips, who runs an auto repair shop in Del Mar. He could offer a choice of two plans to his employees for the first time and get $4,000 in tax credits.
It sounded like a good deal in January. It sounded like a good deal months later. But he kept waiting and waiting for insurance cards to appear.
He has lots of company. “California’s new insurance marketplace for small businesses is off to a rough start,” Kaiser Health News reports in a story published in partnership with VOSD on our site. “It has enrolled just a fraction of eligible companies, with most being deterred by technology glitches, paperwork delays and customer service problems.”
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