Drones have shot quickly up and out of the novelty and recreational categories into the realm of must-have hardware for a number of businesses and government agencies.

The burning question is whether Hawaii, and all the states, can partner with the federal government in effectively managing this proliferating technology.

The goal remains realizing the potential of drones without succumbing to pitfalls — primarily concerning privacy — that could turn it all into a bad bargain for our society.

Primary oversight for drones has been assumed by the Federal Aviation Administration, which must ensure the safety of the airspace nationally. But there’s a role for state regulation, too, and although Hawaii authorities have started down that road, they need to ramp up that effort promptly.

The federal government has rightly taken criticism for being so slow off the mark to integrate drones into commerce, lagging behind other countries.

A process of developing formal regulations for small commercial drones, or the “unmanned aerial system” (UAS) category, began in February and is expected to take two more years.

The draft offers safety rules for small UAS units (under 55 pounds) conducting non-recreational operations.

According to the FAA website, the rule would limit flights to daylight and visual-line-of-sight operations, spelling out height restrictions, operator certification and various operational limits.

While the proposed rules are under review, FAA’s current practice is to grant permits as “Section 333 exemptions” (see www.faa.gov/uas), and those permits now are being issued at a brisk pace of about 50 a week, with new applications taking about four months for review.

A total of 1,439 commercial permits have been approved nationally, and it shouldn’t surprise anyone that adoption of drone technology has accelerated here as well.

The FAA tapped the Pacific UAS Test Range Complex, which includes Hawaii, as one of six national test sites.

Agency officials said at least five Hawaii businesses have received exemption permits since April, with at least nine more having applications pending.

Among these are Hawaiian Electric Co., seeking permission to use a camera-equipped unit for emergency repairs, imaging of remote areas and other operational purposes; and the Honolulu Board of Water Supply, which wants its use for infrastructure management and aerial research operations.

These purposes all sound productive and easily defensible, and, as lawmakers noted in the last legislative session, Hawaii offers clear advantages for UAS testing and use.

For example, its “expansive overwater areas unencumbered by other aviation uses” was one noted in the preamble to Senate Bill 661, signed by the governor in July.

The measure directed the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism to hire a UAS test site chief operating officer and administrative assistant to make sure the state has a liaison on the test range complex management team.

Officials of DBEDT supported the idea, advocating that the jobs be filled through independent contracts to expedite the hiring — a sound way, in this instance, to avoid the lengthy administrative process for regular staff positions.

That is only the beginning of how state leaders should keep tabs on drone development. Eighteen other states have passed legislation that Hawaii elected officials should review and consider in the 2016 session, as well.

Arkansas has expressly prohibited drone use for voyeuristic purposes, for one example; Florida now bars them from capturing an image of privately owned property or the owner, tenant, or occupant of the property without consent, if there is a reasonable expectation of privacy.

And Hawaii residents should have an expectation of privacy in a place they call home.

Left unregulated, drones could threaten the loss of a quality of life we as Americans have cherished as a birthright.