Know Drones Tour lands in Dayton

DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) - Drones or unmanned aerial vehicles are basically high tech radio controlled planes, only some of them are armed to kill.

This area has a lot invested in the technology for both military and non-military uses, but a handful of protesters questioned the decision Friday.

We found them outside Congressman Mike Turner's office with a model of what a drone looks like.

They're part of a group called "Know" Drones and they're traveling across the country to the districts of Congressmen on the Unmanned Aerial Systems Caucus. Turner is a part of that Caucus.

The Know Drones group wants an international ban on drone warfare saying the drones kill innocent people and spy on others.

We called Congressman Turner to get his take on drones. He tells us the debate about their uses is healthy, but he thinks what the military uses them for leads to fewer casualties for all.

"The drones being used in the military and used in battle, space and against terrorists save American lives and are deployed in a way that save the lives of the people in the country where our drones are operating," said Congressman Mike Turner.

"This weaponry is not going to bring peace, it's not going to help people and people need to be thinking about are there other alternatives for work," said Nick Mottern, Know Drones Tour.

Drone research continues here in the Miami Valley, so stakes are high in the area for their success.