The story ‘The ultimate zoom' (The Weekend Sun, February 8) left me a little perplexed and frustrated.

To use the word ‘pilot' - official or not - in any respect, in relation to drone operators is a fallacy.
Their feet remain on the ground.

‘Unmanned' Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is more accurate, and as a commercial pilot and instructor myself, drones are a menace.

I understand the business of them surveying, and kudos for the orthorectified imagery and remote sensing whiz-bang attachments, however the rules and regulations around them and control is seriously lacking.
I have had two friends who recently had dangerously close calls with drones well outside the legal limitations, and unfortunately it will take a catastrophic event for things to change.

People need to understand the dangerous possibilities of these toys.

R Maule, Tauranga Airport.