DLR Aviation and Space Psychology Findings on Drone Acceptance and Noise Concerns

Abstract

Drones are becoming ever more present in public perception. Ranging from parcel delivery to wildlife protection, from precision farming to law enforcement, and from industrial inspection to digital fireworks, many applications are said to have market-changing potential. Against this background, nations and institutions around the world are trying to keep up with the dynamic development concerning rules and regulations. Since all of the parties involved anticipate a strong increase in both the number of drones and their range of uses, there is a rising interest in the acceptance of civil drones in the public. Widespread public acceptance can promote the dissemination of new technologies. Conversely, concerns among citizens about the use of drones in their daily environment could pose potential barriers to the further proliferation of civil drones, especially in urban areas. The psychoacoustic properties of drones have repeatedly been discussed as being one such limiting factor. This talk reports results of a representative national study on the social acceptance of civilian drones in Germany, taking a closer look at noise considerations. Therefore the results help improve understanding of the perception of civil unmanned aerial vehicles.