Unmanned military drone aircraft have been a vital tool in the fight against terrorists in Afghanistan, now drones could soon fill the skies back here at home.
Congress has directed the Federal Aviation Administration to open the airways for commercial use of drones by 2015.
University of Nebraska researcher Vishal Singh has developed such an aircraft.
"I think we're going to start seeing this in a lot of everyday situations," said Singh.
Vishal uses a joystick on a remote control, or even a program that can create an automatic flight plan for his aircraft. The drone has stabilized cameras that can send back video with a bird's eye view of a situation. He's already used the craft to help researchers study crops at the university.
"We can see which area of a field needs to be watered more," Singh said.
Right now, the FAA only allows university researchers or government agencies to fly drones over American soil. They've issued 300 permits.
The Mesa County Sheriff's Office in Colorado has a drone and Nebraska law agencies said the technology is definitely on their radar.
"I wouldn't be surprised if in 10 years from now, you'll see police and news organizations that could never afford to keep helicopters in the air, use unmanned aircraft to bring back a video feed," said Lincoln Public Safety Director Tom Cassady.
Recommendations for rules on commercial use of drones for real estate companies and news organization could come out as soon as this spring.
"This year is when we are going to see what the rules will be and what the future is going to hold," said Matthew Waite, a journalism professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Waite said he sees promise in drones helping reporters in the field.
"You could pop them in your backpack, briefcase or trunk of your car, and go out and do a story," he said. "You go up to get your images; you come down and send them to the newsroom."
The new technology doesn't come without concerns.
"I think you are a little naïve if you think this is really cool and don't realize this is a little bit creepy," Waite said.
Waite has set up a drone in a journalism school lab to research the legal and ethical issues of privacy when it comes to using the devices. His website offers a forum for information and a debate on the issue.
There are also questions about safety. Right now, drones can only be flown under 400 feet and within eyesight.
"There's a great deal of responsibility with trying to use these in a public place around people," Waite said.
There are benefits to the drones, such as helping police track down a suspect or missing person. They can also allow farmers to quickly assess crop damage after a storm.
"Once this is allowed for commercial purposes, I could really see this taking off," said Singh.