Drones and other UAS are considered to be gamechangers for disaster management and rescue mission. But what about the public perception of these devices? What are the most important factors influencing the acceptance of drones and what is required for long-term societal trust? COLLARIS2, an EU-funded project aiming to foster the use of drones in crisis management, can now provide answers to these questions. The project has recently released a new meta-study on public perceptions of drones and hosted a dedicated webinar to present its findings – the recording of which is now publicly available.
Methodology and key findings of the study
The work by DCNA research associate Jasmina Schmidt combined 34 European research articles (2015-2025) with nine expert interviews in Austria, Poland, and Sweden. Together, these approaches provide insights into how drones are perceived by the public, how this transfers into practices of drone deployment in disaster management organisations, and what strategies can enhance legitimacy and long-term acceptance.
The meta-study shows that public attitudes toward drones are highly context-dependent. Acceptance is strongest when drones are used for clear public benefits, such as emergency response, healthcare logistics, or infrastructure monitoring. In contrast, recreational or commercial uses, particularly in densely populated areas, face scepticism. Key concerns include privacy, safety, noise, criminal misuse, and surveillance associations, while perceived benefits include speed, efficiency, and life-saving potential. Attitudes differ across demographic and cultural lines: younger, urban, and technologically literate populations are more accepting, while older groups and societies with strong privacy norms are more critical. The type of operator is decisive: drones flown by trusted authorities such as fire brigades or healthcare providers are far more accepted than those operated by private firms or unknown individuals.
The interview study complements these findings by illustrating how practitioners experience and address public attitudes in their daily work. Authorities perceive the public as simultaneously curious and cautious: privacy concerns dominate in Austria, while in Sweden and Poland, the focus lies more on safety, misuse, and clarity of operators. Public trust in fire brigades and rescue services was consistently described as a major asset, easing acceptance of drones.
To strengthen legitimacy, practitioners adopt several strategies:
- Regulation and education for private pilots to ensure safe operations.
- Visible legitimacy through uniforms, high-visibility vests, and branded drones.
- Public outreach via open days and community events to communicate “drones for good.”
Full report and recording
Sounds interesting? Be sure to check out the full report on the COLLARIS2 project page, and watch the webinar recording below:
About COLLARIS2
The EU-funded project COLLARIS2 is the successor to COLLARIS (COLLaborative network on unmanned AeRIal Systems) and focuses on the use of UAS (e.g., drones) in the field of civil protection and disaster management. Building upon the results of the COLLARIS Network, this project aims to continue, expand and further develop the already established international network of crisis management and civil protection practitioners, research institutions and public administration. The members of the network collect and transfer knowledge, exchange experiences, skills, good practices and information on operational procedures for the optimal use of drones in crisis management and rescue missions.
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