This statement is closed.
Decision: False

Human Injury Due To Drone Within The U.S. In 2012

This bet asserts that there will be a serious injury or worse in the U.S. due to an action or accident related to a government operated drone before the end of 2012 (Dec 31st, 2012 UTC).

A drone, for the purposes of this bet, includes unmanned aerial vehicles, quadrocopter, remote control (RC) airplane, copter or any other device that takes to the air unmanned excluding weather baloons.

Terrestrial robots such as those used for rescue or surveillance aren't considered for this bet.

The injury could come from a crash (regardless if an accident or for any other reason), offensive action by the drone, or defensive action by a party intending to disrupt the drone's operation. The injury could occur on the ground without the drone taking flight if it occurred during a mission, during preparation for a mission or during followup after a mission -- essentially any time the drone is not in storage.

The injury would be considered serious if it involved a fracture, significant lacerations, burns, internal bleeding, etc. The injury can occur to an operator of the drone, bystander, attacker or targeted individual.

A privately operated drone (e.g., hobbyist) with no involvement with a political organization would not be considered for this bet. A drone operated by a public university researcher or a contractor for Customs, for instance, would both be drones considered for this bet.

The purpose of the drone is irrelevant, whether it existed for research, flight testing, surveillance, performing a mission, or taken to flight by a rogue employee even, all qualify as a drone flight as far as this bet is concerned.

Any injury occurring outside the U.S. or U.S. territories is not considered for this bet.

Editor's note: US government must acknowledge the injury.

Info

Opening date: Sept. 5, 2012
Bet deadline: Dec. 17, 2012 end of day Eastern Time
Event date: Dec. 31, 2012 end of day Eastern Time
Category: Technology
Total agree bets: 0.20
Total disagree bets: 1.20
Total weighted agree bets: 496.675
Total weighted disagree bets: 2618.715