Intricate and Multifaceted Socio-Ethical Dilemmas Facing the Development of Drone Technology: A Qualitative Exploration

Abstract

Background: Drones are rapidly establishing themselves as one of the most critical technologies. Robotics, automated machinery, intelligent manufacturing, and other high-impact technological research and applications bring up pressing ethical, social, legal, and political issues. Methods: The present research aims to present the results of a qualitative investigation that looked at perceptions of the growing socio-ethical conundrums surrounding the development of drone applications. Results: According to the obtained results, participants often share similar opinions about whether different drone applications are approved by the public, regardless of their level of experience. Perceptions of drone applications appear consistent across various levels of expertise. The most notable associations are with military objectives (73%), civil protection (61%), and passenger transit and medical purposes (56%). Applications that have received high approval include science (8.70), agriculture (8.78), and disaster management (8.87), most likely due to their obvious social benefits and reduced likelihood of ethical challenges. Conclusions: The study’s findings can help shape the debate on drone acceptability in particular contexts, inform future research on promoting value-sensitive development in society more broadly, and guide researchers and decision-makers on the use of drones, as people’s attitudes, understanding, and usage will undoubtedly impact future advancements in this technology.

1. Introduction

To present a contemporary comprehension of the socio-ethical conundrums about the advancement of drone technology, identify any shortcomings or inconsistencies in past research, and demonstrate how the current work fills these gaps, the background information provided in this introduction lays the groundwork for understanding the significance of the study problem and the need for the research. This study employs a qualitative research approach, emphasizing a thorough understanding of experiences and viewpoints to investigate complex issues and generate novel insights for future research on drone technology.

Regarding the study’s problem, drones represent a growing social phenomenon, and their technology is gaining popularity. They are becoming more advantageous for use, more affordable, and accessible than ever before. As a result, their ethical and social public applications necessitate the continuous deployment of highly advanced, cutting-edge investigative techniques.

Little is known about the public’s acceptance and the boundaries of the ethical quandaries surrounding them, despite their versatile applications, increasing attractiveness, and the fact that their marketability has dramatically grown due to their popularity. The study’s primary research question is as follows: How do individuals with varying levels of experience perceive the practical, ethical, and social aspects of drone technology, and how do these perceptions influence the general public’s acceptance of drone applications? The study also aims to identify the socio-ethical issues underlying public perceptions of drone use and to determine which use scenarios are most and least acceptable.

The justification of the study stems from the implications of adopting and integrating new technology into society on moral, social, and regulatory levels, which have emerged as a significant contemporary theme. Nonetheless, both short-term and long-term projections indicate that drones are already being employed extensively for public safety, commercial, recreational, and scientific purposes. They will soon revolutionize several industries, although it is unclear whether the public can handle the anticipated drone congestion. A notable gap exists in the literature on AI and drone ethics, underscoring the need for further research into the moral issues associated with situations where human control is minimal or nonexistent. The study aims to contribute to the bridging of this gap. The need for ethical AI systems is growing in both the public and private sectors. To enhance the humanitarian advantages, address the ethical dilemmas developers face, and address the urgent need for widely accepted, legitimate standards, AI development and drone applications must become more professionalized [1].

Drones raise numerous social, moral, psychological, and legal concerns. These include how they affect daily life, privacy, ownership, safety, security, accountability, and legal responsibility, as well as how licenses and regulations legitimize their use. When a behavior would benefit society if everyone adopted it, a socio-ethical conundrum may arise regarding the development of AI technology. However, doing so would have adverse effects on each person, making them unwilling to accept it. To effectively address socio-ethical dilemmas and adequately address the potential concerns arising from the increasing integration of drone technology into people’s daily lives, civil society advocates for greater accountability while utilizing high-impact technology. Drone usage in cities has skyrocketed in recent years, reflecting political discussions about the potential risks and challenges associated with the growing adoption of this technology in both the public and commercial sectors [2].

Understanding the complexities surrounding the public’s and stakeholders’ perceptions, attitudes, and actions regarding drone technology becomes crucial. The potential societal effects of drones have not received much attention. Legal restrictions in different regions of the world can limit the practical capabilities of drones. Because drones offer a flexible, precise, and economical solution for addressing technical issues in environmental monitoring and management, their associated legal concerns require collaborative global attention [3].

Undoubtedly, one of the industries with the fastest development rates is the drone sector. It utilizes AI designs developed through machine learning techniques. Its uses are expanding beyond what the general public realizes. By increasing efficiency and leveraging advancements in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, machine learning, and big data analytics, drones are among the most influential technologies transforming modern businesses. To understand their surroundings, recognize objects, detect obstacles, and assess complex situations, they utilize a variety of sensors. As drone technology has grown in popularity and impacted society in numerous ways, both positively [4] and negatively [5], it is essential to understand how it works [6].

Since drones can operate without constant human supervision, their deployment is heavily reliant on advancements in AI technology. Modern technology enables drones to fly autonomously, make informed decisions, and operate efficiently and economically. Incorporating robotics into assembly lines to speed up manufacturing processes, they might be regarded as high-tech technology because they are flying robots that can be controlled remotely or fly autonomously using software-controlled flight plans [7].

According to some sources, for safe and efficient operation, it is essential to understand the fundamental technological and social terminologies associated with drones [8]. The following is an example of how the study terms are defined:

A drone: An aircraft flying autonomously or with human remote intervention, or a code that has been preprogrammed.

Artificial intelligence: The processes that robots use to simulate human intelligence.

The ethics of technology: Examining the moral ramifications and factors associated with the creation and application of contemporary technology, emphasizing issues such as accountability, risk, and autonomy.

Drone ethics: A set of principles, guidelines, and methods that utilize generally accepted morality to guide ethical behavior in the development, application, and marketing of drone techniques.

Privacy issues: Using drones might infringe on people’s privacy.

Drones’ legal risks: Lawful hazards related to trespassing, air safety, and privacy breaches.

Applications for Drones: The circumstances when drones are employed and the numerous business applications of drone technology related to sectors employing drone technology to complete hundreds of jobs.

Social Impact: The various ways in which drone use affects society.

Social Acceptance: Whether an organization or initiative has the support or approval of its community and other relevant stakeholders.

To sum up, while specific social and cultural components, potential dangers, and anticipated moral conundrums are emphasized, the positive societal impact and practical applications of drones must be addressed. Since the breadth of theoretical analysis is essential to quantitative research, the article’s structure finds a balance between theoretical foundation and statistical analysis. The introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion represent the usual components of this research. This standard framework aids in organizing the research process since each part is essential to providing a thorough and intelligible description of the findings. While special emphasis is placed on the problem, significance, and reasoning of the study, definitions of the language used have not been overlooked. The advantages and disadvantages have been discussed, along with specific instances illustrating their use. Additionally, the public’s acceptance of drones, potential solutions, and areas of emphasis for encouraging their adoption have emerged as crucial issues. The study’s methodology was carefully refined to ensure that accurate statistical analyses yielded reliable results. The study’s limitations and topics that require further research have been noted. The concluding remarks highlight the research’s most significant contribution and the importance of its findings.

2. Literature Review and Theoretical Framework

The theoretical framework and the literature review are essential parts of this study, although they have different functions. While the theoretical framework offers the conceptual lens through which the study problem is examined, the literature review critically evaluates previous research to find gaps and lay the groundwork for future research.

2.1. Literature Review

Although technology is changing the business landscape, drones are increasingly becoming integral to the digital transformation of the sector [9]. Although the development of drones will undoubtedly be influenced by how the public perceives them [10], academics have not thoroughly examined how moral quandaries influence this perception. Accordingly, this research aims to contribute to filling a gap in the literature by investigating some complex and multidimensional socio-ethical issues presented by the advancement of drone technology. While previous studies suggest that the increasing usage of kamikaze drones in recent conflicts has raised concerns about drones being used as weapons of mass destruction or terrorist instruments on a global scale, these one-way attack drones, which can launch precise and lethal attacks, have made the situation more dangerous [11]. Some authors have emphasized that rigorous ethical studies are increasingly necessary due to the new and significant issues surrounding warfare [12]. Further research is needed to explore the moral implications of drone warfare and to determine its long-term effects.

Drone literature highlights several social and cultural aspects, including perceived risks and anticipated ethical dilemmas, as well as threats such as smuggling, airspace threats, weaponized vehicles, drone-based hacking, and collisions [13]. On the other hand, research on drones reveals numerous revolutionary societal benefits, such as economic and humanitarian applications, agricultural advantages, and aid in the distribution of medical supplies. There is considerable evidence that the use of drones in society has expanded significantly in recent years, driven by substantial advancements in computerization and miniaturization. The potential advantages of this new technology for mankind are enormous, despite the mounting ethical issues and the urgent need to fix the flaws that jeopardize drones’ core concerns, such as security and accountability. Although further research is needed to explore the positive aspects of drones and to determine the long-term effects of their promising future, examination is required to decide whether they belong in the toolbox of social scientists and to explore the ethical implications of their use in spatial and social sciences. The question of whether drones have become safer, more accessible, lighter, and more affordable in fields such as geography and social sciences represents a good example.

Drones have recently garnered scientific interest due to their growing significance and diverse range of humanitarian applications. Although drones are utilized in a variety of technological and developmental applications by governments, fleets, militaries, commercial organizations, recreational users, and other enterprises, their use also presents significant economic and psychological challenges [14]. Nonetheless, more qualitative research is needed to determine whether drones can provide new employment opportunities and support the growth of emerging businesses, such as media, logistics, and agriculture, despite concerns about job displacement in established sectors [15]. The question of whether they can revolutionize businesses in media, logistics, agriculture, healthcare, transportation, and entrepreneurship, and generate new employment opportunities, becomes increasingly pressing. According to some study findings, drones have already revolutionized several industries; however, these findings must be critically examined in the context of constructive comparisons [16].

According to some research findings, drones save money and time, improve efficiency, and offer superior safety. They enhance productivity and efficiency across various industries, revolutionizing the agricultural, construction, photography, and filmmaking sectors. Since photography drones are equipped with top-notch cameras that provide stunning aerial footage and photographs, they may turn a profit. By enhancing sustainability, security, and efficiency across various job roles, drones in oil and gas operations revolutionize the energy sector. Nevertheless, a potential point of disagreement in the literature is the technological constraints of drones themselves, such as cargo capacity and flying duration, which must be solved for broader use [17].

Concerns over the potential adverse effects of drones, as well as their capacity for positive and transformative impact, have shaped public opinion, according to some recent studies that emphasize public perceptions of drone acceptability and how sociocultural factors, including demographic characteristics, geographic location, technological proficiency, and familiarity with drone terminology influence them. Drone abuse, safety issues, and legal responsibility were the most prominent perceived hazards. Future studies should emphasize the importance of the main anticipated advantages, which also highlight the factors that hinder public acceptance of drones, such as safety and application flexibility [18].

The increasing use of drones opens up new research opportunities. Concerns, authorizations for different use cases, the lowest acceptable flying height, authorized flight zones, and the impact of individual and demographic traits on drone acceptability were all examined by several academics. Some of these findings demonstrated that the extensive use of drones in academia can only intensify concerns about their acceptability and moral implications [19]. Other studies have shown widespread popular acceptance. They stress that the particular use case has a significant impact on clearance. Compared to drones used for private and commercial objectives, drones used for civic and public purposes are more widely accepted [20]. The difficulties presented by drone usage rules are associated with the wide variety of drone uses [21]; however, other studies have concluded that drone governance, as an emerging technology, necessitates the creation of high-trust values [22].

Drones may gather, share, and preserve images of people and events while adhering to a set of still-developing regulations, which raises concerns even while the possibility of civilian drone usage is increasing. The biggest obstacles that need to be addressed are the current regulatory gaps and the limitations of implementing established standards. The legislative implementation of drone regulation must significantly impact current and future usage, impacting civilian utilization. Research findings highlighted the general concern about potential invasions of privacy and the importance of considering people’s views when developing future drone regulations to protect outdoor activities. Because a substantial percentage of drone users and purchasers are civilians, drone developers must be more crucial to the effective use of drones. Even if the law was initially unclear, modern drone regulation requires the creation of new guidelines that promote security and safety [23].

The usage of drones is expanding globally and has become a vital tool in the fight against terrorism. The feasibility of contemporary combat technology, such as offensive drones, has been examined by certain scholars. The conclusion is that modern technologies have significantly altered the military’s value system in comparison to traditional military ethics, rendering many aspects of the latter outdated [24]. According to authors who examined the many uses of drones, they have the potential to be hijacked by extremists and, if used carelessly, to injure and damage people and property [25]. However, this research builds upon some of the findings of the drone military’s value system, although the study’s relatively small sample size weakens the generalizability of its findings.

Domain-specific studies, such as works on drone governance and key studies on the ethics of technology and the social effects of drones, have garnered increased attention. The ethical ramifications of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and the “infosphere”, or the informational environment generated by these technologies, are examined through leading information ethics (IE) philosophical framework, which offers a fundamental perspective on how information generation, organization, distribution, and usage influence social and human behavior. Works that examine the moral implications of topics such as accountability, freedom of expression, ownership, and privacy in the digital sphere continue to receive special attention [26]. Such works influence regulatory efforts enormously. Regulators have taken considerable time to address the risks that drones pose to public safety and behavioral surveillance. Some theorists proposed governing arrangements and a pragmatic set of principles for creating a framework for regulation. They successfully established practical guidelines to determine how to adequately and fairly address the adverse impacts of drones [27]. However, the challenges in precisely estimating the long-term societal effects of security issues, as well as creating standardized procedures for measuring drone integration, are not the focus of this study.

To summarize, although drones offer numerous advantages, ongoing research on the ethics of drones reveals that they also have serious drawbacks and issues that, in specific contexts, outweigh the benefits. Nonetheless, research on the advantages and disadvantages of drones is unbalanced, with a stronger focus on the former. The possibility of illicit use of surveillance data and dangers to human safety in war areas are among the arguments made against the ethical use of drones. Critiques of ongoing research on drone ethics include the fact that few studies compare and contrast, weigh the benefits and drawbacks of each use case, and as a result, it is challenging to conclude the topic’s relative value and efficacy.

Drones are now utilized in numerous industries. This literature review, therefore, only covers a part of their applications and societal challenges. This research used experts as samples for interviews, although both experts and enthusiasts need to understand the factors influencing the results of drone-based scientific research.

Urban planning, digital cities, border security, marketing, logistics, building, photography, law enforcement, natural resource development, forest fire prevention and monitoring, flood and drought resilience, and environmental monitoring are some of the examples of the businesses of today. Based on their requirements for usage, they are anticipated to be accepted in new sectors shortly due to their excellent mobility and relatively low cost. Nonetheless, all these businesses may lack the establishment of more advanced regulatory standards. In conclusion, one of this study’s shortcomings, as identified by the evidence presented, includes the lack of multifaceted socio-ethical dilemmas facing the development of drone technology from a regulatory perspective.

2.2. Theoretical Considerations

The research question, methods, and interpretation of results are all influenced by theoretical considerations, which are vital in forming the study. These factors may look like the following:

2.2.1. What Are Drones’ Impacts on Society?

The societal benefits of drones are numerous. Drones, for example, are gaining increasing acceptance due to their success in video production and broadcasting. Drones can be controlled by automated systems, fly independently, follow preprogrammed flight plans, or be piloted remotely. They can be quickly modified to meet new needs, which makes daily living in society more dynamic and convenient. Because they enable cities to become more technologically advanced, drones have gained popularity among citizens.

As they now assist in rescue operations, provide vital medications to isolated areas, and facilitate navigation under challenging situations, among other uses, drones have the potential to transform society in the future. In certain businesses, drones are revolutionizing the way things are performed. Since drones are an efficient tool for gathering data and offer a multitude of information for various decision-making objectives, they can be utilized for community involvement and development [28]. As drone technology evolves from a weapon of war to a tool for enhancing people’s quality of life, its impact on society is growing. However, public opinion over drone use in civilian areas must govern the aircraft’s flight. Our perceptions and emotions regarding our physical environment were impacted by the drone’s ability to gather information and deliver items. Even while technical and legal issues dominate disputes over drones, public acceptance will play a bigger role as drone technology advances. Influencing government decisions, particularly those related to the development of technology, requires an understanding of public opinion on drones. Scholarly interest was drawn to their social principles in surveillance, security, data collection and analysis, and health and first aid [29].

It is unclear how features that guard against violations of public norms may facilitate the operation of drones, even if they can replace humans and provide services to people, particularly in hazardous situations or when flying long distances. Drones may violate individual rights or jeopardize public safety and security because of their alluring features. Legal restrictions in different regions of the world may occasionally limit the practical capabilities of drones. However, drones continue to offer a flexible, precise, and affordable solution to technological challenges in environmental monitoring and management [30].

2.2.2. Commercial and Humanitarian Drones as Bright Examples of Drone Applications

Recently, the topic of commercial drones and their impact on society has gained attention. Despite being smaller than the hobby drone market, the commercial drone market is expanding at the fastest rate. The commercial use of drones has been opposed by people and activist organizations, who view them as a form of spying technology [31]. However, drones, like other innovative technologies, are meant to lead the way in developing new methods for efficiently completing tasks. The commercial usage of drones can have a significant impact on how we perceive and interact with their role in our daily lives, as well as the ways they can transform various industries due to their ability to collect data and transport goods. The unfavorable perception of drones may be unfounded, given their numerous and impressive advantages.

Despite mounting ethical and legal problems, drones are widely used in the government, commercial, and military sectors due to their affordability and appeal. However, the idea that robots would replace humans has recently gained popularity. The lack of widely recognized modifiers for the word “drone” in our culture, which differentiates between many varieties within the “drone” category, may be a cause of drone fear. Drones are a general category of flying machines with which most people are familiar [32]. These anxieties, however, do not lessen the tremendous advantages. Among the most important social benefits are the advantages of drone delivery. Drones can save fuel, ease traffic congestion, and access rural or isolated areas. By reducing delivery times, enhancing efficiency, lowering operating costs, increasing output, and expanding into new industries, drone delivery has the potential to benefit both consumers and businesses, which is one of its key social advantages. Even while drones have a significant impact on some scientists’ daily lives, their future rests on their ability to increase productivity, save time and money, complete tasks more accurately, and enhance operational safety [33].

The enormous humanitarian potential of drones is a topic of great interest to many experts. Nonetheless, research on humanitarian drones has mostly been overshadowed by the massive ethical and legal dilemmas that armed drones pose [34].

Technological developments in crisis response that clash with moral standards and norms may pose a threat to humanitarian values. Humanitarian organizations may encounter particular ethical and legal conundrums when unarmed drones are utilized more frequently in peacekeeping for duties like monitoring. Humanitarian drones have been increasingly used to support relief and reconstruction efforts during epidemics, natural disasters, and population displacement, as well as to overcome structural barriers to healthcare delivery in areas with limited resources, despite potential ethical and legal concerns.

Unquestionably, humanitarian drones provide clear proof that drones are valuable tools, demonstrating that their humanitarian potential largely depends on who utilizes them and how. This is accurate, but the enormous moral and legal conundrums raised by armed drones have eclipsed the extensive use of humanitarian drones for disaster relief, prevention, and global health. One of the main advantages of drones is that they can be operated from a safe distance. Technology cannot be viewed as a secure solution to every problem in every circumstance due to its distinct humanitarian implications. Beyond technology, a human touch may be necessary to comprehend and adjust to challenging situations, as well as to manage emotional responses [34]. Although drones offer considerable potential for assisting people, technology will never be able to fully replace the situational awareness and empathy of medical and humanitarian professionals [35].

2.2.3. Some Notable Ethical Risks of Drones

The drone industry has recently been concerned about the ethical issues surrounding drones. The rapid rise in drones presents serious moral problems, such as intrusive surveillance, confidentiality, and the threat that drones may be used to carry out terrorist attacks. Numerous ethical risks are associated with drones, which can be demonstrated as follows [36]:

From the perspective of welfare, drone technology must prioritize safety and security if they are a need, not an option, in cyberspace. This is a crucial feature, as well-equipped drones can detect potential collisions and safely avoid them. Drones must have capabilities comparable to those of pilots in human-piloted aircraft. It is advisable to choose certified drone service providers that can conduct safe and damage-free aerial drone operations. Drones flying in densely populated regions run a greater risk of ground accidents, system failures, or hacking. Therefore, when it comes to drone technology, safety should be the priority. High-quality sensors enable drones to recognize and safely avoid any collisions, which is an essential feature.

Legislative uncertainties have recently overshadowed the progress of drones. Although drone use is becoming increasingly common, regulations are constantly evolving as technology advances rapidly. There are several discrepancies between government regulations and state or local legislation regarding aerial property rights. Drone pilots may, thus, inadvertently transgress limits they are not aware of. The drone code of ethics emphasizes responsibility, empathy, safety, privacy, and environmental preservation, encompassing the moral principles and values that guide the behavior of drone pilots. The pilot’s adherence to transparency can help reduce the likelihood of misuse.

Although drones may directly endanger public safety by carrying bombs, poisons, and biological weapons, protecting people’s privacy is crucial due to the intrusive nature of drone monitoring. A moral conundrum arises when balancing the need to collect the required evidence and the duty.

Delivery will need many of the same capabilities created for surveillance, and privacy problems are predicted to grow as drone use becomes more widespread. Even if a drone mishap might injure humans, the most significant risk is that inappropriate sharing could jeopardize the confidentiality of the data that drones collect [37]. For instance, although drones are often considered valuable for collecting geospatial data, concerns are emerging over their ethical use.

Drone software problems and malfunctions have emerged as a new problem. Due to failures or software defects, several drones used to fire weapons at humans, resulting in numerous fatalities, injuries, and property damage. Accidents with drones endanger the safety of other military personnel. Drones may be harmful to the environment and are susceptible to assaults by potentially dangerous animals in an attempt to prevent mishaps and threats to human life. When drone operators fly near a dense population of wild animals, they risk colliding with a tree or a vulnerable animal.

Drone spying issues are growing. Drones are frequently used by abusers to track and target their victims. Since the loud propeller noises are no longer a problem and are disregarded, thieves may now violate someone’s privacy. Due to their ability to collect precise data, drones can monitor regular activities and identify unusual behavior without requiring permission.

The vulnerability of drone technology is a significant drawback of its development. Hackers’ drones may be utilized to gather critical public data; they can also be hacked while in flight, which might result in mishaps or crashes. Hackers can obtain vital information from the central control system without the original operator’s knowledge, access private data, corrupt or destroy files, and reveal information to unauthorized parties.

The development of drones is influenced by numerous network threats and complex network topologies that pose significant security challenges for the drone sector. It is becoming increasingly crucial to develop effective risk management methods in drone operations, considering both technological, environmental, and human factors. These traits pose significant risks to tourism-related businesses, encompassing both technical, environmental, and human aspects, which necessitate precautions to mitigate negative consequences. The numerous negative impacts of drones on the travel sector, such as increased hazards, underscore the significance of resolving safety and security issues surrounding drone use in tourism-related businesses.

To sum up, although most people don’t consider drones to have security problems, they do have several weaknesses, and accidents and near-miss collisions involving drones are becoming increasingly frequent. Securing drones is becoming increasingly challenging as more than a million of them enter international airspace every month [38].

2.2.4. Some Factors Impacting Drone Acceptance

Policymakers are interested in understanding stakeholder and public concerns over the growing usage of drones and the underlying issues with public acceptance. The primary elements influencing the acceptability of drones are highlighted in this section. To fully understand the factors influencing drone acceptance and marketability, a scientifically rigorous methodology must consider concepts [39] related to technological, environmental, and social concerns [40]. Perceptions have a significant impact on the general public’s acceptance of drones. The following terms are related:

“Public Perception of Drones” refers to the general public’s perception of drones is complex and varies based on the application and situation. Drones are widely accepted for use in disaster relief, public safety, and research. On the other hand, views were more divided on privacy, security, and matters related to commercial applications, such as passenger or recreational drones. People dislike drones for several reasons, including privacy concerns, safety concerns, ethical issues, drone threats at airports, and the invasion of personal space by drones.

“Drone impact on society” entails that with uses ranging from military and surveillance to agricultural, delivery services, and disaster relief, drones are influencing a broad spectrum of civilizations worldwide. Drone technology offers numerous advantages, but it also presents privacy, safety, and regulatory concerns to societies globally.

To optimize the benefits of drone technology and mitigate its disadvantages, we must acknowledge its dual nature and establish suitable laws, compliance procedures, and countermeasures. For example, while video surveillance security drones can serve useful and essential purposes, opinions on their acceptability vary considerably [41].

However, because there is a dearth of actual data about attitudes and beliefs toward employing such technologies, building a body of knowledge on progressive technology and creating governance instruments and normative frameworks to facilitate its adoption and social integration is crucial. More research is necessary on the effects of this technology on individuals and society. Drones are being used by civilians more frequently, which enhances the intelligence and connectivity of cities. Therefore, understanding public opinion is crucial for informing government policy, particularly in the context of emerging technologies. However, there is limited research on the public perception of drones, and existing studies are often regional or national in scope. The explicit and implicit societal acceptability factors related to drone use in metropolitan areas have been the subject of recent scientific studies [42]. To comply with underlying drone rules and conventions and optimize their potential, a continuous evaluation of the benefits and drawbacks of various applications is necessary [43].

2.2.5. Suggested Solutions: Areas of Concentration to Foster Drone Societal Impacts

Drone technology has the potential to address significant issues and improve living conditions in many communities by focusing on specific locations. It may have a substantial impact on society in several ways. There are several important issues with the way drones are utilized in various countries, which have differing levels of technological development. Drones have the potential to harm the ecology, pollute the air, and put wildlife at risk. They can, however, also aid in disaster relief, environmental preservation, and monitoring climate change. Since drones make technology more accessible, they are often associated with issues of inequality, accessibility, and the digital divide. Drones’ social and economic advantages might widen the gap between wealthy and underprivileged communities.

A comprehensive strategy for maximizing the benefits of drones should focus on the following key areas to boost social acceptability and fully leverage their potential [44].

Recently, there has been increased attention to the ethical issues surrounding drones and their impact on the community. Endeavors to ensure that initiatives reflect the needs and values of local communities and involve them in the conception and implementation of drone programs are becoming increasingly necessary [45].

Conducting public awareness campaigns to promote informed community involvement regarding the advantages and dangers of drone technology is vital [46]. Efforts on Regulatory Frameworks are a good example of how policies are shaped. They aim to develop and implement rules that govern the use of drones, ensuring adherence to ethical, privacy, and safety standards. Reference may be made to numerous recent technical studies that emphasize ways to improve drone specifications, such as cameras, flight range, and collision avoidance, and weigh the benefits and drawbacks of drones, influencing how the general public views them [47].

Many examples can illustrate the process of gaining and developing skills related to drone development. STEM education involves utilizing drone technology to educate children about environmental science, engineering, and robotics, thereby sparking their interest in STEM subjects. Community training involves offering drone operating and maintenance training courses to nearby towns, fostering local competence and creating new employment opportunities [48].

Numerous examples demonstrate the use of drones for environmental protection. Drones can monitor animal populations, analyze migratory patterns, and detect poaching operations to enhance conservation efforts. Drone services can also improve healthcare provision by delivering essential medical supplies to remote or underserved areas, including prescription medications and vaccinations. Drone services can transport crucial medical supplies, including prescription drugs and vaccinations, to underserved or rural areas, thereby increasing access to healthcare. In disaster-affected areas, drones equipped with medical supplies deliver aid quickly and facilitate prompt medical operations. Drones can locate and assist people in emergencies, enhancing the effectiveness and safety of rescue operations. They can assess damage in affected areas, facilitating quicker and more accurate disaster response planning. They can also protect archeological sites [49]. They can help farmers adopt more environmentally friendly agricultural practices by evaluating soil conditions, monitoring crop health, and optimizing irrigation techniques [50]. Privacy protection is an example of moral deliberations. One of its aims is to soothe public concerns about monitoring. Drone deployment zones should be regulated to safeguard individuals’ privacy rights [51].

3. Research Methodology

3.1. Background

Comprehending an extensive techno-social subject requires a sufficiently broad and adaptable perspective. Public perceptions of drone technology contain definitions, scenarios, themes, and discourse we use, as well as context to experience, which is critical for comprehending what we take for granted and expect to be real. The current research employed a qualitative approach to gain a comprehensive understanding of the issue under examination, to gain new insights, and to build adequate hypotheses for future socio-ethical drone research. The authors drew observations to collect information about the ethics of drone technology that cannot be quantified or judged. They conducted qualitative interviews to delve further into participants’ diverse experiences and wide-ranging viewpoints, going beyond surface-level responses. This qualitative technique is suitable for the current study because it offers several benefits, including spontaneity, open communication with participants, a small sample size, adaptability, high internal validity, increased versatility, enriched perceptions that capture new insights, and contextual comprehension [52].

3.2. The Reasons for Adopting the Interpretivist Paradigm

This research aims to reconcile the negative public perception of drones in the literature with experts’ optimistic stance on their future applications. A diverse narrative review methodology and theme patterns were employed to enhance transdisciplinary or interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly in the theoretical development of drone applications. Due to the exploratory nature of the current study, the authors used a qualitative technique based on the interpretivist paradigm, a philosophical position and method of inquiry in the social sciences that assumes reality is multifaceted and socially constructed. The interpretive paradigm is based on the premise that people’s perceptions, ideas, thoughts, and essential meanings may be comprehended via observation and interpretation. Examining people’s subjective interpretations and experiences provides a profound and complex understanding of social processes. Researchers can find more rigorous insights using this strategy. Interpretivism’s adaptability as a flexible concept is a further benefit [53]. In interpretative research, meaning is revealed, found, and experienced by emphasizing meaning-making, description, and detail. According to the antinaturalistic interpretive researcher, human activity consists of personal interpretations of the content. What we know is constantly debated within cultures, social contexts, and interactions with others. Accordingly, the adopted paradigm emphasizes the participants’ diverse encounters with reality [54].

3.3. Research Context and Participant Recruitment

In this research, a qualitative investigation prioritizes in-depth comprehension over quantitative data, exploring and understanding the “why” and “how” of the drone social phenomenon. Twenty-three scientists from various scholarly areas were selected to provide breadth and coverage across as many scientific areas as possible. The factors associated with drone adoption are complex, and having individuals with various specialties aids in understanding the fundamental factors impacting acceptance, aligning with the interdisciplinary nature of the current research. In an interpretive qualitative study, researchers often collect preliminary data from accessible populations [55].

3.4. The Selection Criteria

To ensure that participants’ stories are rich and meaningful, the selection criteria for participants are typically based on the topic, theoretical framework, and study objectives. To guarantee cohesion, depth, and diversity, all participants work in the same robotics interdisciplinary research center in Saudi Arabia and are familiar with modern technology, their challenging issues, intelligent manufacturing, and robotics research. Although it is essential to consider any biases and limits that can come from such a selection, it is normal and appropriate for participants in qualitative research to be selected from the same institution, particularly when the study focuses on specific elements of that society. However, one significant advantage is that interdisciplinary participants gain a more comprehensive understanding of their topic by integrating ideas and approaches from multiple fields. This method encourages creativity, as different viewpoints lead to better problem solving and more imaginative responses [56].

3.5. The Ethical Approval

In their study initiatives, the researchers ensured that the data, analysis, and methodologies were transparent and communicated clearly. A crucial step towards transparency and openness in methodology is ensuring participant welfare and data integrity, which was achieved through the process of obtaining ethical approval. The authors obtained informed consent, maintained confidentiality, and ensured the rights of research participants were upheld. The consent is explicit, unequivocal, informed, voluntarily provided, and verifiable.

For the authors, consent is an agreement that represents a fundamental ethical criterion, guaranteeing that participants provide their free and knowledgeable consent to participate in the study. Participants were provided with complete information about what it means to participate, as well as sufficient details about the research and potential ramifications, so they could make an informed decision about whether or not to participate. A brief introduction was provided to explain that the researchers were inviting participants to take part in their study. Participants gave their consent before they entered the study, knowing that they could take some time to consider whether or not they wished to participate.

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) Statement and the Informed Consent Statement (ICS) run as follows:

• The IRB statement was issued by the Interdisciplinary Research Center for Intelligent Manufacturing and Robotics (IMR) Human Research Ethics Committee in King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Saudi Arabia. It reads as follows:

“The IMR Human Research Ethics Committee recently reviewed your response to the conditions related to the ethical approval of research entitled: Intricate and Multifaceted Socio-Ethical Dilemmas Facing the Development of Drone Technology: A Qualitative Exploration.

This is to confirm that your research plan and objectives is now considered to meet requirements set by the IMR for ethical conduct on human research (2022). Consequently, I am pleased to report that full ethical approval has been granted. Approval Number: IMR-2-4-2024 Project Title: Intricate and Multifaceted Socio-Ethical Dilemmas Facing the Development of Drone Technology: A Qualitative Exploration;

Approval Date: 2 April 2024. Expiry Date: 2 April 2027.

2.

The ICS reads as follows: “By completing the checklists and filling in the required information, you are giving your consent to participate in the planned interviews.”

(The full Institutional Review Board (IRB) Statement, including its approval number and date, and the Informed Consent Statement (ICS) are explicitly included in the back matter of this article. The content of the checklists is also provided in Appendix A.2.)

In conclusion, 23 experts from diverse backgrounds, including academia, industry, and research organizations, participated in interviews for this study to identify pertinent drone applications, acceptance criteria, and potential socio-ethical concerns. By inquiring about the participants’ preferred communication channels and any required adjustments, the researchers were able to obtain their agreement. Participants were asked open-ended questions to voice any legitimate worries.

The specializations of the expertise, along with their years of experience, are displayed in

Table 1. The Specializations and Years of Experience of Participants.

#	Specialization of Participant	Range of Years of Experience
1	Robotics	20–30
2	Additive Manufacturing and Materials	20–30
3	Mechanical Engineering	10–20
4	Manufacturing and robotics	20–30
5	Mathematics	30–40
6	Mechatronics Design	10–20
7	Manufacturing technology	20–30
8	Mechatronics Design	10–20
9	Robotics	10–20
10	Mechanical Engineering	10–20
11	Control Systems and Decision-Making	20–30
12	Numerical analysis	20–30
13	Mechanical engineering	10–20
14	UAVs	10–20
15	Robotics	20–30
16	Robotics and Control	10–20
17	systems engineering	20–30
18	Manufacturing	20–30
19	Robotics	10–20
20	Mathematics	10–20
21	Software Engineering	30–40
22	Physics and Material Science	20–30
23	Psychology	10–20

.

Table 1 reflects the diversity of participants’ specializations. It shows that participants in mathematics and software engineering were the most experienced, while those in UAVs, psychology, and mechatronics design had relatively less experience. Piloting, data processing, repair and maintenance, and engineering are among the specialist uses of drones. At the same time, drone-specific applications are found in various other sectors, including emergency response, construction, agriculture, and filmmaking. It may be argued, therefore, that while many engineers participated, no specialist piloting participants discussed their experiences in the interviews. The fact that no experts in the use of drones for surveying, aerial photography, videography, and infrastructure inspection participated in the interviews may be a further limitation.

3.6. The Interview Protocol

Data about a document’s design and processing may be gathered using protocol analysis. In qualitative research, an interview protocol is a systematic set of guidelines that helps researchers conduct targeted and reliable interviews. It serves as a guide for the interviewer, outlining the main points and subjects to be discussed while maintaining flexibility to adjust based on the interviewee’s responses and the direction of the conversation.

The applied interview protocol represented a set of guidelines that include how to obtain participant permission, the interview questions to ask, how to introduce oneself and the topic of the interview, and how to conclude the interview [57].

Determining their goal, comprehending their audience, creating pertinent questions, planning and preparing for the interview, accomplishing the interview, and evaluating the results are the main procedures the authors used when conducting their qualitative interviews. The protocol entails posing questions that encourage respondents to share their insights, viewpoints, and experiences on the subject. Each candidate was asked the same questions in the same way, and the questions were then scored according to predetermined standards. The authors focused a great deal of effort on crafting their research interview structures and questions. While the interviewee’s experience was the primary focus, questions were used to elicit a lengthy response from the respondent that could not be answered with a single word, such as a yes/no response. The authors take care to avoid asking the interviewee multiple-part questions or pressuring them to provide a specific answer.

3.7. Interview Content

The scientists’ insistence on providing participant observations as a valuable data-gathering strategy was very beneficial to the authors [58]. Some academics believe that the depth of gathered experiences and perspectives may be guaranteed by adhering to appropriate scientific methods for participant selection processes [59]. Three independent colleagues with qualitative experience in robotics, intelligent manufacturing, and psychology participated in assessing the study’s exploratory nature and how the findings will further the field’s understanding. By helping to select pertinent items to include in checklists and sessions, qualitative experts contribute to ensuring the study’s validity, relevance, and methodological rigor. The criteria for selecting questions on the checklist are based on the topic, theoretical framework, and research purpose, ensuring that participants’ perceptions are thorough and meaningful.

3.8. Using Checklists

Scope definition, evidence evaluation, item suggestion, checklist piloting, and checklist validation are the steps involved in creating a coherent checklist. Checklists are primarily used to ensure that tasks are accomplished thoroughly and consistently. Expert advice was gathered, a pilot group tested the checklist, and it was revised in response to the feedback. Validation ensured that the checklist was reliable and accurately measured the intended outcomes [60].

Two short checklists were used:

• A checklist on the predicted level of public approval for some drone applications, such as research, disaster management, medical purposes, agriculture, military purposes, passenger transport, civil protection, energy supply, parcel delivery, hobby, photos, videos, and films.
• A checklist of the acceptance of the seriousness of some known drone concerns, such as growing warfare threats, violation of privacy, technology maturity, noise, misuse of criminal actions, doubts regarding accountability and insurance, potential damage and injury, unclarity of legal regulations, negative public perceptions, traffic concerns such as congested skies and endangerment of road traffic and low-cost increase easiness of acquisitions.

4. The Results

Through a variety of techniques that explore understanding opinions, experiences, and meanings, qualitative research produces findings. These techniques include document analysis, focus groups, observations, interviews, and content analysis. ANOVA was used in this research to test whether years of expertise significantly affected the mean approval ratings for each drone application. The method compares means between different groups to find significant differences. Correlation Analysis measured how approval ratings for different drone applications related to each other. This technique helps uncover how public attitudes toward one application might influence their views on others [61].

4.1. Data Collection and Analysis

This qualitative research design involved an in-depth exploration of the issue through focus groups and individual semi-structured interviews. Quantitative surveys often employ checklist questions, as they simplify and quantify respondents’ attitudes or behaviors. The current study employs two checklists primarily because they are valuable tools for ensuring that all essential data elements are included and can be used to validate the key components of a qualitative study [62].

The combination of focus groups and interviews was adopted to gain a more thorough understanding of the phenomenon, thereby increasing the depth of inquiry and enriching the data. Focus groups help achieve more rigorous outcomes for the second checklist, whereas the former was used to produce results related to the first short checklist. An interview and focus group guide were provided to elicit rich responses, ensuring the questions were relevant, had face validity, and captured the key characteristics of respondents’ experiences and perspectives [63].

To address the data analysis issue, the authors employed the human sciences’ propensity to adopt a flexible approach that can yield rigorous results aligned with interdisciplinary work. They use a hybrid technique that blends thematic patterns and narrative research. While the latter usually refers to a collection of texts, such as transcripts, and seeks recurrent themes, subjects, concepts, and patterns of meaning within the text, the former is employed as a tool to establish the methodological and theoretical framework for the study [64].

They tracked and analyzed several ethical variables associated with the future of drone technology using an adaptable technique that aligns with the interdisciplinary nature of this study. Interviews were evaluated thematically based on initial coding [65], validation of the coding process [66], and evaluation of the processing to ensure transparency and integrity [67].

4.2. How the Results Were Obtained

While research questions direct the study, themes in qualitative research serve as broader classifications that highlight the key trends in the data. A theme reflects the characteristics of the participants, incorporates key information pertinent to the study’s objective, and reveals the pattern of linkages.

The authors took advantage of other researchers’ observations about the human sciences’ propensity to combine narrative research—which aims to find recurrent themes, subjects, concepts, and patterns of meaning in the text—with thematic patterns in a collection of texts, like transcripts, as a tool to develop the methodological and theoretical framework for research [68]. The authors employed a flexible approach that fits the interdisciplinary nature of this study to analyze various long-term societal and ethical concerns associated with drone technology [69]. Drones, societal, moral, and acceptance, as well as their application, represent the central notions of this research. The authors recognize that applied qualitative research centers on each participant’s interpretations and justifications.

Regarding the methodology used for ANOVA analysis, emphasis was placed on determining whether there are statistically significant differences in the mean approval ratings for drone applications across different groups based on their years of expertise [70]. Correlation analysis measures the strength and direction of the linear relationship between different drone application ratings (e.g., how support for one application is related to another). The steps taken were as follows:

• Data Preparation: Extract the approval ratings for each drone application (e.g., Research, Military purposes) from the dataset.
• Define Variables:

All drone applications are considered independent variables to identify relationships between them.

3.

Calculate Correlation Coefficients: Use Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) to quantify the linear relationship between two variables.

The Pearson correlation coefficient ranges from −1 to +1:

+1: A perfect positive relationship (as one variable increases, the other increases).

−1: A perfect negative relationship (as one variable increases, the other decreases).

0: No linear relationship.

4.

Interpretation:

Strong positive correlation: Values close to +1 indicate that the approval for two drone applications increases together.

Strong negative correlation: Values close to −1 indicate that as approval for one application increases, the other decreases.

Weak or no correlation: Values near 0 suggest no significant linear relationship.

Software/Tools Used: Python 3.13.5 (using Pandas to calculate the Pearson correlation matrix)

4.3. Results Relating to the Average Public Approval Ratings

In quantitative research, data collected from rating scales—such as Likert and numeric rating scales—is compiled using mean ratings. One way to measure attitudes, perceptions, and opinions is through ratings. To calculate the mean, the sum of all assessments is divided by the total number of responses. The outcome is a single figure that reflects the central tendency of the evaluations and indicates the overall level of agreement and satisfaction. The rated anticipated degree of public acceptance for drone applications is displayed in Figure 1. The Python code used to create the bar graphs in this figure can be found in Figure A1.

Figure 1 indicates that the mean ratings of popular approval ratings for each drone application are as follows: Disaster Management: 8.87; Agriculture: 8.78; Research: 8.70; Photos, videos, and films: 8.04; Military purposes: 7.91; Parcel delivery: 7.74; Hobby: 7.13; Civil protection: 6.65; Medical purposes: 6.61; Energy supply: 6.13; Passenger transport: 5.22.

The averages indicate that applications such as disaster management, agriculture, and research are considered more beneficial and have the highest predicted levels of public approval. In contrast, passenger transport and energy supply have relatively lower approval ratings. This result aligns with recent research findings, which demonstrate high public approval for the use of drones in disaster management [71]. This highlights the urgent need for further study on the use of drones for public transportation and reveals a lack of enthusiasm among the general public for their adoption in logistics [72].

The interpretation of the rated anticipated degree of public acceptance for drone applications is demonstrated in terms of the following remarks:

• Despite the growing ethical and psychological risks associated with drone warfare, these risks were not represented in the responses. Drones were perceived as helpful instruments rather than disruptive technologies or security threats [73].
• Highly Approved Applications: Disaster management (8.87), agriculture (8.78), and research (8.70) are highly accepted, likely due to their clear societal benefits.
• Moderate Approval: Medical purposes (6.61), military purposes (7.91), parcel delivery (7.74), and photos/videos (8.04) have moderate approval, reflecting a balance between perceived usefulness and concerns over safety, ethics, or privacy.
• Lower Approval: Passenger transport (5.22), civil protection (6.65), and energy supply (6.13) show lower approval, likely due to concerns about safety, privacy issues, or unfamiliarity.

Overall, the public favors drone applications with clear benefits but remains cautious about those involving personal use, safety risks, or privacy concerns.

The following is a summary of the most noteworthy general insights:

• Public Perception and Safety: Applications directly contributing to safety and societal benefits (e.g., disaster management, research) generally receive high approval.
• Privacy and Ethical Concerns: Applications involving drones in public spaces or for personal use (e.g., civil protection, passenger transport) may raise concerns over privacy, security, and ethics, resulting in lower approval ratings.
• Unfamiliarity or Mistrust: Lower ratings for energy supply and passenger transport suggest that the public may be unfamiliar with these applications or lack sufficient trust in the technology for such critical tasks.

The most notable insights based on the main factors impacting drone acceptance are as follows:

The focus group results aligned with the checklist’s conclusions regarding acknowledging the gravity of several well-known drone challenges. They stress that rising risks to military operations, growing privacy violations, misconceptions, and unfavorable public perceptions are the main elements influencing drone adoption.

The insights based on participants’ years of expertise are as follows:

• 5–10 Years: This group supported drone applications, such as disaster management and research, while being more cautious about military purposes and civil protection.
• 10–20 Years: Participants in this group displayed balanced approval across most applications, with notably lower ratings for passenger transport, reflecting caution in areas where public safety is a concern.
• 20–30 Years: This group favored disaster management, agriculture, and parcel delivery but was more skeptical about passenger transport and energy supply.
• 30–40 Years: The most experienced participants were generally positive, especially for medical purposes and military applications, suggesting more confidence in advanced applications; however, they were less enthusiastic about photos/videos and hobby drones.

These results suggest that more experienced participants favor practical and established drone applications. In contrast, those with less experience tend to express more skepticism, particularly in safety-sensitive areas such as passenger transport and civil protection.

4.4. Findings Derived from Advanced Statistical Analysis

To test whether the differences in the ratings for each drone application across the various years of expertise groups are statistically significant, the ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) was employed. The means of many groups are compared using a one-way ANOVA to evaluate variations in drone application evaluations over different years of experience. The purpose of

Table 2. The differences in the ratings for each drone application across the various years of expertise groups.

Drone Application	F-Value	p-Value
Research	0.451069	0.719502
Disaster Management	0.426576	0.736224
Medical Purposes	0.820042	0.498801
Agriculture	1.83713	0.174659
Military purposes	0.673606	0.578773
Passenger transport	1.889599	0.165619
Civil protection	1.006247	0.411641
Energy supply	0.990671	0.418338
Parcel delivery	0.644503	0.595898
Photos, videos, and films	1.187444	0.341035
Hobby	1.067672	0.386228

is to ascertain whether the means differ significantly from one another. The groups are classified according to the participants’ varying years of experience.

Table 2 presents the necessary comparisons in the ratings of each drone application and indicates whether the perceived value is influenced by knowledge level. Comparing the ratings of the same drone apps by various experience levels is necessary for examining the variations in drone application ratings among expertise groups. According to search results, there is a wide range of drone use cases, and it remains to be seen whether the perception and rating of these use cases are influenced by experience.

The ANOVA results indicate that there are no statistically significant differences in drone applications across years of expertise, as all p-values are above 0.05. Passenger transport (F-value: 1.89, p-value: 0.166) and Agriculture (F-value: 1.84, p-value: 0.175) show relatively higher F-values, indicating some differences in approval across experience levels, but not enough to be statistically significant. Applications such as Research (p-value: 0.72) and Disaster Management (p-value: 0.74) exhibit very low F-values, indicating that the ratings are pretty consistent across different experience levels. This suggests that participants, regardless of their years of expertise, generally hold similar views on the public approval of various drone applications.

Python 3.13.5 can be used to illustrate this outcome visually, and there is a need to provide a representation of the result that shows no statistically significant differences in drone applications across years of expertise. Figure 2 demonstrates this information; the corresponding Python code used for its display in this study is provided in Figure A2.

Figure 2 displays the ANOVA visual graph, which shows the F-values and p-values for each drone application based on the analysis of variance across years of expertise. The F-values (blue line) indicate the variance ratio between groups (different expertise levels) relative to the variance within groups. Higher F-values suggest greater differences between expertise levels. The p-values (red dashed line) measure the statistical significance of those differences. A p-value below 0.05 would imply a statistically significant difference in group approval ratings. However, in this graph, all p-values are above 0.05, suggesting that none of the applications show statistically significant differences in approval across expertise levels. This implies that participants often share similar opinions about whether different drone applications are approved by the public, regardless of their level of experience in this area.

The figure demonstrates that military goals (73%), civil protection (61%), and passenger transit and medical purposes (56%) are the most prominent correlations. According to highly approved applications, science (8.70), agriculture (8.78), and disaster management (8.87) are all frequently approved fields, perhaps due to their clear societal benefits and low likelihood of moral dilemmas. While the significance of the difference between sample means is ascertained using the F-statistic, the authors emphasized that non-significant p-values (>0.05) do not necessarily indicate the absence of a difference, but rather reflect the sample size and variation.

Summary of the Findings:

According to the findings, military goals (73%), civil protection (61%), and passenger transit and medical purposes (56%) are the most prominent correlations. According to Highly Approved Applications, science (8.70), agriculture (8.78), and disaster management (8.87) are all frequently approved fields, perhaps due to their clear societal benefits and low likelihood of moral dilemmas.

The correlation analysis provides insights into how different drone applications are related to each other based on the ratings provided. Here are some notable findings:

The most notable moderate negative correlations are as follows:

• Research and Medical purposes (−0.43): Participants who rated drones highly for research purposes were more skeptical of their use in medical contexts;
• Photos, videos, and films, and Energy supply (−0.43): A moderate negative relationship suggests that those who approve of drones for media may not favor their use in infrastructure services;
• Passenger transport and Civil protection (0.56): A positive correlation indicates that participants who support drones in transport also believe in their effectiveness for civil protection;
• Photos, videos, and films (0.38): Those who support drones for media applications also tend to favor their use for hobbies, demonstrating alignment in personal and creative drone usage.

These correlations reveal trends in how participants perceive various drone applications, with clear relationships between public safety-related uses and more personal or creative applications.

The following threefold remarks illustrate the key findings of both analyses:

• Consistency Across Expertise Levels: Both the ANOVA and regression analyses indicate that years of expertise do not significantly influence approval ratings. This suggests that the perception of drone applications is shaped more by the nature of the application than by professional experience.
• Application-Specific Relationships: The correlation analysis reveals interesting relationships between different drone applications, highlighting how specific use cases, such as military and media or civil protection and energy supply, tend to be perceived together. These correlations suggest a broader mindset, where some participants view drones as versatile tools for safety, while others associate them with creative or commercial uses.
• Public Perception Trends: Participants are generally more supportive of drones in areas where there are clear societal benefits, such as disaster management, research, and agriculture. However, there is more skepticism about drones in personal or controversial applications (e.g., passenger transport and energy supply).

5. Discussion

Understanding the factors that influence the results of scientific research using drones is crucial for both enthusiasts and experts. Although research on drones reveals numerous revolutionary societal benefits, including economic and humanitarian applications, agricultural advantages, and aid in medical supply distribution, drone literature highlights certain social and cultural aspects, such as perceived risks and anticipated ethical dilemmas, such as privacy concerns and global threats, such as smuggling, airspace threats, vehicles for weapons, drone-based hacking, and collisions.

Identifying existing research has been our primary goal in the literature review section. To put our topic within a logical framework, we will proceed in this section to discuss the following:

• How the results relate to the study subject and the literature from the standpoint of the appropriateness of the statistical techniques used in this qualitative approach. The justification for this may stem from the view that, for research conclusions to be accurate and reliable, the link between study results, the body of existing literature, and the suitability of statistical methodologies is essential [74].
• How to interpret the findings in light of the overall field and the research problem.

5.1. How the Findings Relate to the Literature and the Research Problem from the Perspective of the Suitability of the Chosen Statistical Methods

Analyzing and interpreting the results in light of the study problem and the larger field may be enhanced by providing evidence for the statistical approach’s applicability. In qualitative research, an ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) test aims to use variance to ascertain whether there is a significant difference between the groups under study. The ANOVA test is employed when comparing group means, and quantitative data are used. An ANOVA is a suitable method to use when comparing two or more groups with a qualitative independent variable and a quantitative dependent variable, even though qualitative research places an emphasis on a thorough understanding of experiences, viewpoints, and meanings and frequently uses techniques that provide non-numerical data, such as observations, interviews, and document analysis.

By definition, “correlational” and “qualitative” are not interchangeable words. A correlational inquiry requires two numerical variables. The connections or relationships between different data pieces, such as themes, categories, or patterns that surface throughout the data analysis process, are referred to as “correlation” in qualitative research. As with quantitative research, identifying statistical significance is less critical than identifying meaningful links and patterns in the qualitative data. Data from qualitative research can be analyzed using ANOVA, provided that the qualitative data are converted into a quantitative format. The authors addressed the issues related to focusing on the perceptions of experts, including the increased risk of bias. In qualitative research, mitigating methods are aimed at improving the study’s rigor and credibility. The authors concentrated on verifying and ensuring their findings are solid by gathering data from numerous sources. In qualitative research, the use of multiple data sources, methodologies, researchers, or theories to enhance the validity and reliability of study findings is known as triangulation. In essence, it entails addressing the study subject from multiple angles to support the conclusions. To gain a more thorough understanding of the study issue, the authors employed triangulation, which involves comparing and contrasting data from multiple perspectives, to control and minimize biases and ensure that the study’s results are robust. They used both investigator triangulation (utilizing multiple researchers) and data triangulation (involving diverse participants). They independently examined a few transcripts of interviews before comparing their results. They also discussed the same phenomenon and then compared their findings.

As triangulation involves examining a subject from multiple perspectives, the authors applied this approach by incorporating the perspectives of the participants. Their technique involved gathering information from the same individuals through various methods at different times and comparing the participants’ interpretations with those of the researcher. Interviewing several participants to learn about their experiences with a drone-related ethical conundrum, as opposed to relying solely on one participant’s viewpoint, is another frequently used example. Assembling a small focus group of participants to discuss their experiences collectively, facilitating communication, and developing common viewpoints are other examples employed by the researchers [75].

The application of advanced statistical methods has led to better decision-making, a deeper understanding of complex data, and more practical solutions across various domains. These methods enable the extraction of valuable data, the identification of trends and patterns, and the creation of more accurate models and forecasts.

Specific sources claim that although fundamental beliefs, such as concerns about safety and privacy, may remain unchanged, people’s comprehension and acceptance of drones may differ significantly, depending on their level of familiarity with the technology [76]. This appears to contradict the study’s findings. In justification, the participants’ expertise may serve as a reason for this variation, although the researchers avoided using leading questions and instead employed open-ended questions to minimize study bias. While scientists may be influenced by their interests and the need to confirm previous ideas, technology professionals are vulnerable to biases such as advocacy, attractiveness, and overconfidence. Bias may exist among experts and scientists. One explanation is unconscious bias, which occurs when researchers unintentionally favor particular results or interpret data in a way that supports their preconceptions [77].

In qualitative research, participant bias may represent a type of systematic error that occurs when study participants react differently than they typically would because they are aware that they are being studied.

Due to factors such as their perspectives and prior knowledge, experts and scientists alike may introduce biases when participating in qualitative research [78].

5.2. Interpreting the Results in Light of the Research Issue and the Field at Large

The results suggest that evaluating the implications of these associations for expert mindsets, including safety-oriented versus innovative usage, is crucial. The wide variety of drone applications is reflected in the participants’ choices. Drones are utilized in various fields and applications, including search and rescue operations, photography and videography, the military, and agriculture. By prioritizing safety, participants minimize accidents, ensure legal compliance, and maintain public trust in the use of drones for various jobs, such as aerial photography and search and rescue operations. Drones are becoming increasingly sophisticated and practical technologies. As a result of these developments, they will be more critical than ever in fields such as public safety, infrastructure inspection, and agriculture.

When viewed from the perspective of strong positive correlations, the results indicate that while participants who highly rated military purposes also favored using drones for photos and videos, a strong relationship exists between approval for drones in civil protection and energy supply, possibly reflecting a belief in the utility of drones in infrastructure and security. Participants who were positive about passenger transport also supported the use of drones for medical purposes, indicating trust in drones for high-stakes applications.

Despite the strong correlations reflected by participants, and the fact that drones can design inspection routes and detect problems like heat escapes without the need for human interaction, thanks to computer vision, machine learning algorithms, and mapping, research indicates that global guidelines for rapid mapping based on photogrammetry in emergency response situations are still outdated and slow [79]. It is also essential to note that passengers worldwide continue to lack confidence in high-speed drone passenger travel [80].

On the other hand, compatible with participants’ perceptions, the literature shows that

• Drone-delivered medical supplies have a higher chance of saving lives during a medical emergency [81].
• Due to their ability to respond quickly, cheaply, and adaptably to a variety of catastrophes, drones are revolutionizing disaster management [82].
• In agriculture, drones enhance overall farm safety and management, while also increasing security through surveillance [83].

6. Challenges and Future Work

6.1. Limitations of the Study

• Privacy concerns spark discussions around data usage and permission. Concerns regarding the specific challenges of drone technology may arise due to legal and procedural issues, which are not examined in this research. Regulations that lessen concerns about drone fear are desperately needed. However, the current study did not address legal issues or provide recommendations for controlling them.
• The research may be limited in focusing solely on scientists’ opinions on drone application and acceptability rather than the general public. Potential bias of experts toward particular applications, depending on their field of expertise, may be considered a limitation of our expert interview research. Additionally, the geographical scope limitation must be addressed.
• Since the creation of frameworks controlling the future use of drones depends on the degree of public acceptability, the authors attempt to exercise caution when implying potential issues that would be difficult to pinpoint without precise benchmarks.
• Despite our efforts to incorporate some elements that influence drone acceptability and applications, further research is required to examine other related issues. Although the issue of ethics has been addressed, burden, perceived effectiveness, intervention coherence, and self-efficacy are examples of different components that comprise the theoretical framework of acceptability (TFA).
• A more thorough theoretical analysis is required in qualitative research that focuses on expertise levels, given the absence of notable variations in performance across competence levels, especially when purposeful practice is included. There is a need for more emphasis on the role of other factors, such as individual differences and motivational limitations.
• Attempts have been made to address limitations (such as sample bias towards younger demographics) and provide workable alternatives for “value-sensitive development”, rather than ending with a simple summary of the findings.

6.2. Future Considerations

• This new research aims to understand the potential negative social implications of drones and develop suitable mitigation strategies. The sense of societal success will increase public acceptance and credibility of drones, promoting practitioners’ confidence and favorable scientific outcomes.
• Future studies should investigate the most effective ways to provide precise information on drones, including their types, potential risks, and advantages, as people are often eager to learn more about them and the outcomes of fulfilling their information requests to alleviate concerns about drones.
• The benefits of drone applications need more studies. To eliminate misconceptions about drones, a more effective study is required. Generally speaking, people assume that all drones are equipped with AI and are far more sophisticated and powerful than they actually are.
• One of the biggest concerns with drones is the potential for privacy violations. Highly fruitful research based on real-life experience is lacking. Because they perceive drones as flying robots violating their privacy, some may harbor unfounded fears, preventing them from being widely accepted.
• There is a growing need for more attention to future ethical challenges and how they might be addressed as drones become increasingly integrated into daily life.
• One of the key areas of future improvements in drone technology is the integration of AI and autonomous drones.
• A code of ethics for drone operators must be established for ethical monitoring and responsibility.
• There is a growing need for in-depth research on drone ethics because technology may develop more rapidly than the ethical frameworks for drones. Research on drones needs to be more closely tied to organizational health, safety, and ethical considerations [84].
• The balance between moral dilemmas and technological development provides potential solutions or areas for further study.
• A potential future crucial problem that requires thorough investigation, particularly about international treaties, legal issues, and ethical standards, is how to regulate drone technology and utilize it to strike a balance between innovation and responsibility. Governments and businesses must ensure that drones are appropriately used, which is tied to military and corporate accountability. The humanitarian and severe psychological, social, and ethical implications of using drones in warfare need more research to be highlighted. There is an increasing demand for specialist studies on the possible psychological impact of armed drones on operators, target populations, and societies [85].

6.3. A Special Remark on How to Address the Potential Social Impact of Drones and Anti-Drones

From a societal expert perspective, a comprehensive lens that balances innovation, safety, privacy, and ethical considerations may be used to understand how drones and anti-drone technologies affect society. The following is a methodical evaluation of their influence on society:

6.3.1. Drones’ Notable Benefits Include

• Public safety and emergency response: Drones help manage disasters, flood surveillance, firefighting, and search and rescue. Medical supplies delivered to isolated or emergency areas improve access to healthcare.
• Economic Growth and Job Creation: New industries in drone maintenance, manufacturing, and services create skilled jobs, boosting media, logistics, infrastructure inspection, and agriculture output.
• Environmental Monitoring: Maintaining forests with a minimal ecological footprint, detecting pollutants, and protecting animals.
• Smart City Development: Incorporated into infrastructure assessment, traffic monitoring, and urban planning.

6.3.2. Notable Drawbacks of Drones

• Privacy Invasion: Unauthorized monitoring and data gathering are major worries associated with civilian drones.
• Risks to Security: Terrorists and non-state groups have turned drones into weapons, raising the possibility of asymmetric warfare and open assaults. Small drones make sabotage, surveillance, and smuggling more practical.
• Safety and Airspace Risks: The possibility of mid-air collisions with airplanes, particularly close to airports and in metropolitan areas. Unauthorized planes violate no-fly zones and put onlookers in danger [86].

6.3.3. Significance of Emphasizing Anti-Drone Technology

Drones and anti-drones have been developed recently to combat drone attacks. As of May 2025, anti-drone technology has made great strides in combating the increasing risks posed by unmanned aerial systems (UAS). The benefits of anti-drone technologies have become increasingly evident as the threat posed by drones continues to grow. In recent years, notable developments have occurred, and there has been broad acceptance of anti-drone technology.

Due to growing worries about drone-related risks, the anti-drone industry is expanding quickly. Nonetheless, issues such as the need for design and usage standards, as well as high research and development expenditures, continue to exist. To solve these problems, efforts are being made to provide economical and effective alternatives [87]. These developments demonstrate a global commitment to enhancing security protocols against the evolving risks posed by unmanned aerial vehicles. Integrating cutting-edge technology and global partnerships emphasizes the significance of proactive approaches in addressing drone-related issues [88].

6.3.4. Significant Impacts of Anti-Drone Technology

• Strengthening Public Security: Anti-drone systems safeguard against harmful drone activity in critical locations (airports, military installations, and public gatherings) and ensure safe airspace in conflict areas or during high-profile events.
• Moral and Legal Conundrums: There are legal concerns when intercepting or disarming drones: Who owns the airspace? What happens if defenseless drones are destroyed? There is a possibility of abuse or overreach by the government.
• Issues with Civil Liberties: Radar and RF tracking are surveillance-based anti-drone devices that might increase society’s acceptance of invasive monitoring.
• The Rise in Militarization: The proliferation of drones and countermeasures might hasten arms races and normalize ongoing monitoring in daily life [89].

6.3.5. Notable Societal Balancing Act

• The public’s perception of drones changes according to the visibility of their use cases: commercial or military surveillance raises suspicions, while humanitarian uses encourage acceptance.
• There is an increasing need for policy frameworks that govern ownership, operation, airspace rights, and countermeasures to maintain societal trust [90].
• Digital literacy and ethical education must advance to help citizens understand the potential and limitations of drone and anti-drone technologies [91].
• It must be stressed that in recent AI applications discussions, the social balancing act centers on optimizing AI’s advantages while minimizing any possible drawbacks [92].

7. Concluding Remarks

The study aimed to explore how individuals with varying levels of experience perceive the social and ethical aspects of drone technology and how these perspectives influence the public’s acceptance of drone applications. It also aimed to determine which usage scenarios are most and least acceptable, as well as the socio-ethical concerns underlying public attitudes toward the use of drones.

The research has strengthened the belief that drones are revolutionizing society due to their many advantages and wide range of uses. Their technology is becoming more practical, economical, and accessible than ever before, and they are a social phenomenon that is growing in popularity. As a result, their ethical and public applications necessitate the continuous deployment of highly advanced, cutting-edge research techniques. Because of their capacity to gather information, support rescue and humanitarian efforts, and move weights in creative ways, they are transforming our perceptions of our physical environment. According to research, drones are changing our perception and understanding of the physical world. They are also becoming increasingly common for a variety of uses that have the potential to completely overhaul several industrial sectors and shift the game in the future.

Little is known about the public’s acceptance of drones and the boundaries of the ethical quandaries surrounding them, despite their numerous applications, increasing attractiveness, and significantly higher marketability resulting from their widespread deployment. Therefore, helping people understand their socio-ethical challenges was one of the primary goals of the current study. Despite the many advantages of drone technology, personal liberties should not be violated for the sake of public safety when deploying drones for safety purposes.

One of the goals of this study was to enhance understanding of the factors that shape public perception of the risks and benefits associated with drone usage and to offer some pertinent solutions. The public’s perception of drones and the ethical issues they raise could significantly impact their adoption and future technological advancements.

The authors understand that the “so what” issue in quantitative research refers to moving beyond merely presenting data and statistical results by elucidating the importance and relevance of the study’s findings, describing the practical or theoretical ramifications, and demonstrating why the study matters. Accordingly, they placed particular attention on the issue of subject-matter expert consensus. For them, a noteworthy consensus among subject-matter experts indicates a high degree of agreement on a specific concept, discovery, or best practice. This agreement is helpful because it often yields a trustworthy and solid result that can guide future studies, inform decisions about public policy, or inform real-world applications in that area. In this regard, it is noteworthy that most experts agree that drone operations should prioritize accountability and openness, minimize harm to people and communities, respect privacy and data, and engage with impacted groups to address any social implications. To ensure responsible drone use, particularly in fields such as surveillance, law enforcement, and humanitarian relief, there was also an agreement on the necessity of precise legal frameworks and controls.

While drones can be utilized in a wide range of industries, including delivery, surveillance, agriculture, military and humanitarian missions, as well as the distribution of medical supplies, the findings demonstrated the pressing need for more research on drone usage in transit systems and the general public’s lack of interest in their use in logistics. Moreover, each drone domain has unique issues that require expert attention.

The findings of the primary study indicate that opinions on drone uses are mostly consistent across a range of expertise levels. As a result of varying degrees of familiarity and confidence with the technology, consumers tend to regard some apps as complementary while others are viewed in isolation. However, several moral and societal issues pose a threat to the rapid development of drone technology and its applications.

On the other hand, the focus group results concurred with the checklist’s findings, acknowledging the severity of several well-known drone issues. They stress that rising privacy violations, misunderstandings, unfavorable public perceptions, and growing risks to military operations are the main reasons behind the introduction of drones.

Years of experience had no appreciable impact on approval ratings, according to regression analysis and ANOVA, a finding that holds across all competence levels. This implies that the type of application has a greater impact on how drone apps are perceived than the user’s level of experience. The correlation study reveals some interesting correlations when examining the link between various drone applications. These correlations indicate that people are generally more accepting of apparent drones in regions where there are clear social benefits, which is supported by studies on public perception trends and specific use cases.

The study has several ethical implications. It can enhance our understanding of the moral and humanitarian implications of drone technology and help us focus our efforts on its ethical considerations. The ability of autonomous drones to identify and follow people raises significant ethical questions about how to strike a balance between advancing technology and preserving human freedom. Mass surveillance without the individuals’ knowledge or permission might result from this.

The study’s conclusions can educate scholars and policymakers on drone usage, inform future research on fostering valued growth in society more broadly, and contribute to shaping the discussion around the acceptability of drones in specific situations. Future technical breakthroughs will undoubtedly be influenced by people’s attitudes, comprehension, and usage.