The Federal Aviation Administration has begun the process that would ultimately allow unmanned aircraft to fly freely in US airspace, as opposed to the limited and restricted ability they have to currently operate.  It is seeking public input in to how to set up ranges for UAV testing that would ultimately lead to free flying UAVs:

The new law gives the FAA three years — two less than it took Congress to pass the act – to “integrate” UAVs into the national air space, or NAS, meaning set policies that will let drones share the air with piloted aircraft.

UAVs have proven reasonably reliable.  Just like humans, they only fly off uncontrolled every now and then.