RALEIGH – The N.C. Department of Transportation is seeking public feedback on the use of drones, which are quickly becoming an important part of the state’s transportation landscape.

NCDOT’s Division of Aviation launched an online survey this week to gather peoples’ comments on drones, or Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).

“Public input has been an important part of our program from the beginning and will be even more important as we move forward,” said Basil Yap, UAS program manager for NCDOT. “We want to make informed decisions based on what people in our state want and what they are concerned about.”

NCDOT has been at the forefront of finding new and innovative ways to use emerging drone technology to benefit people. This includes using them to inspect bridges, monitor storm damage and deliver life-saving medical supplies.

The survey will ask peoples’ thoughts and concerns about the current and future applications of drones. It will include questions on noise, privacy and safety issues, and the way drones can improve peoples’ lives through the delivery of medical supplies, and assistance with search and rescue operations. The survey can be found online at www.ncdot.publicinput.com/3139 and takes only a few minutes to fill out. It can be answered by anyone, even someone who has never seen a drone.