A systematic literature review on the main factors for public acceptance of drones

Drones have become usual among the civilian population and are enabling cities to be more interconnected and intelligent. However, few studies about the public's opinion on drones have been conducted and those are usually particular for a certain country or region. Knowledge of public opinion is crucial for guiding government policies, particularly on new technologies. This work aims to conduct a systematic review to identify the civilian public attitude toward drones and to assess the main factors that influence opinion. A total of 30 studies were included in the review, analyzing public opinion regarding drones in 15 countries. The review shows that public opinion is influenced by socio-cultural aspects, the main perceived risks and the main expected benefits. Sociocultural factors were related to demographic aspects, such as geographic location, technological expertise, and familiarity with drone-related terminology. The main perceived risks included drone misuse, privacy disrespect, malfunction, damage, safety, noise and legal liability. The main expected benefits, such as application flexibility, emergency response and monitoring, cost reduction and safety, are also described. This review may orient future qualitative and quantitative research on public acceptance of drones and guide researchers and decision makers on drone use by describing the influencing factors on the population's perceived benefits and risks.