Aviation seems to be on the few areas the U.S. federal government has not abandoned during a partisan shutdown.

Apparently drones are still flying.

None of this means that all is well in the world of unmanned aerial vehicles, however.  As reported just a few months ago, “a funding bill now before the Senate essentially would stop the process in its tracks by prohibiting the FAA from moving forward until it completes a detailed report on drones’ potential privacy impact.”

Coupling drone operations with social norms also appears to be a strategy overseas.  Edingurgh University in the United Kingdom has announced that it is ending its £1.2m investment in a defense company that makes components for US drones because it says the business is not “socially responsible”.