Racial Prejudice Affecting Support for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Operations

Abstract

The interaction between humans, technology, and society is ever-increasing. One particular growing field of technology is unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), with uses ranging from hobbyist to government and military applications. Public support for UAVs, will likely change dependent on the societal context in which they are used. Specifically, it is likely that racial bias or political affiliation may influence support for UAVs.The current study investigated perceptions of UAV flight over neighborhoods with different racial compositions. Participants responded to a survey assessing support for UAVs flying over these different neighborhoods (primarily African American, primarily Hispanic, primarily Caucasian, and an unspecified control neighborhood), privacy concerns related to this UAV operation, as well as demographic data. Results indicated differing levels of support for UAVs, such that participants were more supportive of UAVs flying over primarily African American neighborhoods than over Caucasian neighborhoods. In addition, there was more support for UAV operations from those identifying as politically conservative than those identifying as politically liberal.The societal implications of UAV flight, and how individuals interact with new technologies will ultimately decide consumer behaviors and attitudes. Understanding how consumers perceive UAV flight, as well as what personal variables influence attitudes about UAV operations will be able to inform developers of these technologies, as well as policymakers.