Privately-owned drones and public safety

I've been an airline and military pilot for 43 years. In over 25,000 hours of flying (including flying in Afghanistan and other hot spots around the globe), the biggest threat to my life, my airplane, and the people I was responsible for was when I barely missed a remote-controlled model airplane while I was flying a 737 full of people into Seattle.

Anyone who has a pilot's license or who travels on an airliner should be terrified of the recent surge in sales of inexpensive, easy-to-fly, and easy-to-modify drones and the beer-swilling pinheads who think that mounting a firearm on one is clever and cute (see video below). Many of these drones are so inexpensive as to be considered disposable (ie a throw-away weapon or weapon carrier).

Several times, operators of these drones have interfered with, and impeded fire and rescue efforts.

I am as opposed to mala prohibita laws and regulations as anyone. But know that most of them are inspired by the boneheaded actions of people tho think they're clever and cute.

This genie (easy-to-fly and cheap drones in the hands of irresponsible people) is out of the bottle. They are just as dangerous as firearms in the hands of those same irresponsible people. Without the intervention of the heavy hand of government, I don't know how we can begin to assure the safety of the People from the abuse of these devices. We can only blame ourselves and our amusement and tolerance of this new trend in irresponsibility.