To begin, I decided that my research topic would have something to do with drones. After narrowing the topic down slightly, I came up with he following research exigence: What types of laws and regulations toward consumer drones, if any, are necessary to ensure maximum safety and benefit for the American people? This exigence focuses only on consumer drones, which are the quad-copters that have become so popular among amateur drone enthusiasts in America. As a student who is highly passionate about science and technology, the issue of drones has always been of great interest to me. As with many people, I value the safety and security of the American people. I also, however, place personal freedom in high regard. My research exigence seems to push the boundaries of these two ideals. Leaning too much toward safety and security may limit personal freedom, while leaning too much toward personal freedom may impact safety and security. I do not have any direct experience regarding drones, but the vast amount of research I will perform on the subject will help qualify me to write about the issue.

The first source, an article from Business Insider, claims that drones will become popular for commercial purposes in the next few years. Drones will be used by all sorts of businesses, such as farming, delivery, and security. The article predicts that drones will make up a large portion of worldwide commercial spending in the future. The article also discusses the privacy and safety concerns associated with this influx of drones for commercial purposes. The commercial use of drones, the main issue in this source, is important for economic reasons. Privacy issues, which are also discussed in the source, are of interest for people worried about the negative impact of drone use in the United States. This source does a good job of focusing on both the positives and negatives of the issue it presents. The source recognizes the positive impact drones will have in the future of business, but it also notes the privacy issues that will result. Overall, the source appears to be fairly reliable, as it comes from a reputable news journal. The author, a tech and business journalist, gives both sides to the story and presents lots of facts and data through charts and graphics.

My second source, an article from The Conversation argues that drones will soon be used heavily by farmers. The article states that drones will be used for everything from analyzing field characteristics to actually harvesting crops. The source provides evidence of the positive impact that drones can have on the world. As such, the major values and interests at stake freedom and the use of immersing technology to better society. This source gives me examples of how drones will be used to benefit society instead of being used in harmful ways. The author of the article is a professor of Agricultural engineering, and the journal itself, The Conversation, is very reputable. The source is somewhat biased toward the positive aspects of drones, however, as it does not present any negatives associated with the immergence of drones in the world of agriculture.

My third source, an article from Tech Insider, argues that drones will soon be used, and are being used now, by terrorist organizations like ISIS. The article explains that ISIS is using consumer drones mainly for surveillance purposes. They have reportedly used small drones to survey United States Military Bases and oil refineries and Iraq and Syria. The report argues that this situation is especially dangerous because these consumer drones are so cheap and easily accessible. This source, unlike the first two sources mentioned, presents the other side of the drone issue: drones being used to harm people. Values at stake here include safety and protection of innocent people rather than focusing on the benefits of drone use in society. The source is from a reliable news source that focuses on technology. It does a great job of citing all of the evidence it uses in the article. The article does, however, only present the negative side of drone use, indicating some bias.

Logistical Analysis

Overall, my research exigence is arguable because there is enough evidence to support an intended solution. Based on my research so far, I have seen many firsthand accounts of how drones have been used to benefit society, as well as ways in which drones can be monitored and regulated to protect the public. There are many disagreements about how safe a drone-filled world can actually be, however, as some people focus only not the potential negatives of drone use and the dangers that drones could pose. The differences in opinion make it a little more difficult for me to decide on a proper solution to the exigence, but nonetheless, differences in opinion mean that the issue is widespread and serious enough to argue properly. I should not have a problem addressing my issue in the allotted word length, as I have already narrowed my issue down to just consumer drone issues, rather than military drone issues.

