Drones are useful tools as capable as a source of entertainment as they are of providing life-saving assistance. From helping to plan our cities to providing for the needy in disaster relief situations, they are becoming increasingly common. There’s seemingly no end to the list of ways they can be used to make our lives better now and in the future.
Wi-Fi for the World
Access to the internet is one of the most valuable assets anyone can ask for. Gaining the ability to log on and look things up is like being given the keys to a vault containing all of humanity’s combined knowledge. Unfortunately there remain areas on the planet not currently set up to handle the infrastructure of high speed internet, and that’s why some tech companies are working to create solar-powered hovering transmitters capable of delivering access to these areas in need.
Wildlife Preservation
Many of the world’s endangered species live in areas which are difficult to access directly. By getting eyes in the sky, scientists can monitor the movements of animals which prove challenging to tend to on foot. With more accurate information, more effective plans of conservation can be crafted.
Safe Aid at the Worst Times
One of the most valuable application of the technology is in disaster relief. Following natural disasters like a hurricane or earthquake it is possible for stranded individuals to be completely cut off from support. It becomes unsafe for rescuers to get to the individuals in need leaving them without life-saving supplies. By flying in medication, food and water to trapped victims of the disaster, rescuers buy the time they need to mount a safe and successful rescue operation.
Helping Emergency Services
They are not just useful in the aftermath of a disaster, however, as emergency services can make use of the ability to get views not available to a human in order to craft plans to help in the middle of emergency situations. From checking on a suspicious package to assessing the spread of a fire, by using a remotely moved camera with a feed to a central operating hub the risks of an emergency can be examined to form a plan while minimizing the risk of exposure to danger.
Planning Made Easy
Having a bird’s-eye view of a location makes planning in that area significantly more effective. While satellite imaging is available, using a drone to get shots can allow for more up-close and detailed surveying, and the more detail the professionals have to work with the better their plans can be. Fields in which this new approach can be particularly helpful include city planning and ocean exploration, with high definition photos of areas becoming available for the first time.
Delivery on Demand
Online retailers were quick to see the potential appeal of having an on-demand delivery service for their products. Food companies have begun sampling with the idea of sending out food orders, but that’s not all. Online stores have also looked into delivering packages, allowing consumers to no longer have to wait even one night for next day delivery, instead seeing their package arrive via the air on the same day it was ordered. Although programs have currently only seen limited roll out, as the technology improves and becomes even more commonplace, the ability to deliver larger and larger orders to more areas of the world will become possible.
Taking Photography to a New Level
Getting pictures from the sky doesn’t just have to be used for effective planning or good business however, it can also be used to create beautiful art. Photographers can load a camera onto the bottom of their drone and get shots from an angle that would have been simply impossible without the use of technological assistance. Campus squares and country houses can look marvelous from above, and a wedding photo shoot takes on a new level of wow-factor when it adds in high angle shots over the congregation.
A Farmer’s Best Friend
Few industries stand to benefit more from the use of drones than farming. Throughout every phase of the crop production process there are ways which having access to a flying assistant makes a farmers life easier.
- Mapping: a farmer with an overhead shot of a farm can plan out the absolute best possible layout for that year’s crops and livestock.
- Crop Monitoring: On a large farm it can be difficult to get eyes directly on every crop, and some crops are difficult to walk among without risking damage. Flying overhead with a high-definition camera attached lets a farmer keep an eye on a large field of crops with no harm to the product.
- Spraying: Getting down chemicals over a field is a long process, but it’s made simpler with access to overhead flight allowing a farmer to tend to more land.
Drones are the future, but they are also the present. Their application in such a diverse range of fields, from recreation to saving lives in a disaster relief setting, ensures that the field will continue to innovate and grow with new designs for new functions. The future of the technology is bright.
