Santa Cruz, Calif. (AP) — Surfers catching waves and mountain bikers pedaling through forests are used to the occasional low flying pelican or diving hawk, but these days outdoor recreationalists can find what's up in the air isn't a bird at all, it's a drone. This week top drone-makers, along with investors, regulators and inventors, are gathering in one of the most popular regions for outdoor activity in the U.S., California's Central Coast, to show off their devices, hear about new uses for airborne robots, and hit the waves and trails. Drones Data X Conference Santa Cruz, from May 1 to 3, will also feature experts explaining how unmanned-aerial vehicles can map remote areas or rescue hikers or swimmers. Federal regulators, who are still sorting out drone rules, will be on hand with updates on regulations about whether operators need to keep a drone within their line of sight, how high they can go and whether they can fly directly above a person. "Drones are in a bit of their Wild West period right now, but in the future they'll be used to transport people, medicine, goods; anything done on a highway will just as well be done by air," conference organizer Philip McNamara said. Spending on unmanned aerial vehicles is projected to double over the next decade, from about $6.4 billion a year to $11.5 billion a year, according to industry analyst Teal Group. McNamara said about 90 percent of the venture capital flowing toward drone technologies comes from the nation's high tech hub, Silicon Valley, about 30 miles from the conference.

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