Not too surprisingly, the results of a new survey released by a group advocating for more domestic use of drones shows that the American public supports the increased domestic use of drones.

An overwhelming majority of Americans support the use of unmanned aircraft for homeland security, search and rescue, and fighting crime, according to the new poll. The study was conducted by Institute for Homeland Security Solutions and RTI International, a North Carolina-based research institute.

According to the national study, 57 percent of the general public supports the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for any application.

When asked about specific uses of the technology, support was significantly higher, with 88 percent of respondents supporting UAS for search and rescue operations. In addition, two-thirds of Americans support their use in homeland security missions.

The study of 2,000 respondents, conducted in March, gauged perceptions about unmanned aircraft in the United States. Additional findings include:

• 67 percent support their use in homeland security missions

• 63 percent support their use in fighting crime

• 61 percent support their use in commercial applications

There are concerns about drones, with 75 percent of those asked saying they were concerned about the government's ability to regulate the industry. Sixty-seven percent of those asked said they had concerns that drones could be used to monitor the activities of people outside their homes.

In a separate survey of law enforcement's perceptions, 79 percent of that group said they were concerned about costs of using drones and 65 percent said they were concerned about pushback from privacy advocates.

Last year, the Star Tribune wrote about how North Dakota was aggressively pursuing the burgeoning drone industry, with a synergy of the corporate, the academic and the military, all amid concerns about how privacy might be affected.

Mark Brunswick • 612-673-4434