WHAT IS A DRONE?

A drone is technically a remotely piloted or autonomous aircraft used to gather data and imagery. The combination of the drone with ground ground control stations or software instructions as well as data links forms the unmanned aerial system (UAS). The two terms are interchangeable, however. Overall, the market for UAS technology is booming. A study by the Teal Group estimated that the world market for UAS research, development, and procurement was US $6 billion in 2012.

TYPES OF DRONES

• Micro and Mini UAV's
• Tactical UAV's
• Strategic UAV's

The first category, micro and mini drones, consists of drones weighing less than 30 kg. They usually fly at altitudes of 300 meters or less and primarily have recreational applications. Common examples include the Hubsan X4 and Nano QX, both of which are recreational drones.

Tactical drones consist of drones between 150 and 1500 kg in weight and/or those that fly at altitudes between 3,000 to 8,000 meters. These drones mainly have commercial and military applications.

Finally, strategic drones consist of all drones greater than 1,500 kg and/or those that can fly up to 20,000 m in altitude. Drones of this size usually have military applications.

CURRENT USES

Drones have significant advantages over conventional aircraft. Operating a drone is inherently less risky due to to the lack of a pilot. Drones are also able to fulfill tasks with greater precision. Both of these advantages have led to an explosion in the commercial and scientific use of drones.

Moviemaking

Drones have significantly reduced the effort required to film difficult shots in movies. From the aerial battle scenes of Avatar to footage of the war against terrorism in Seal Team 6, drones have become invaluable in the film industry.

Scientific Research

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) uses the Aerosonde UAS to fly directly into hurricanes and communicate data to the National Hurricane Center.

Disaster Relief

Drones were used in search and rescue and damage assessment missions after Hurricane Katrina struck in 2008. They carried an optical sensor and synthetic aperture radar, which can provide images through adverse weather conditions. Micro - drones such as the Aeryon Scout have been used to search for specific missing persons.

Oil, Gas, and Minerals

Drones are regularly used by oil and gas companies to monitor the state of pipelines and related installations.

Conservation

In June 2012, World Wide Fund for Nature(WWF) began using UAVs in Nepal to aid conservation efforts following a successful trial of two aircraft in Chitwan National Park. The drones were equipped with time-lapse cameras and could fly at heights of 650 ft.

THE FUTURE OF DRONES

• Postal delivery
• Swarms
• Mining
• Healthcare

Drones are currently used for small - scale deliveries. However, companies such as Amazon and Google are experimenting with larger scale deliveries that could one day replace our current postal service.

Engineers are currently developing the next generation of “swarming” drones. These drones will work together and share data, forming an intelligent network that can address myriad problems. For example, a swarm of drones could coordinate a response to a natural disaster or manage an oil rig.

Drones could possibly be used by mining companies to perform geophysical surveys. Using magnetometers, a drone could analyze the strength of Earth’s magnetic field at different locations. These measurements could then be used to determine the likely location of mineral deposits.

Ambulance drones" could rapidly deliver defibrillators in the crucial few minutes after cardiac arrests, and include livestream communication capability allowing paramedics to remotely observe and instruct on-scene individuals in how to use the defibrillators.

UAS Concerns

New technology can bring about positive changes in our modern society, but what concerns of UAS technology do you think comes along with these innovations?