Skynet, the evil super-computer of the Terminator movies, becomes self-aware, computes an existential threat from humanity and launches a nuclear attack on the enemy. To eradicate humans, Skynet builds terminator robots and hunter-killer drones.

While Terminator fans are looking forward to seeing the next stage of the war against machines (due to be released next year), many Americans are concerned that actual attacks on their privacy and safety will soon be coming from the sky — through unmanned aerial vehicles, a.k.a. “drones.”

Popular coverage of drones tends to play into this theme, whether it’s a politician shooting down a drone with a rifle or a mayor declaring his town a “no drone zone.” But, while emotionally satisfying, such coverage tends to overlook the potential benefits of drones with recently found broader uses in commercial and humanitarian settings.