Technology is evolving at an impressive rate, as evidenced by the unmanned aerial vehicles known by the abbreviation VANT (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), derived from the English abbreviation UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle). Drone means drone in English, however, it remains the preferred name for these increasingly common aircraft. News from all over the world appears in the media every day because of their use, as a result of their many uses. These types of devices have evolved from use in the military to control fires, monitor herds, help locate people, and, more recently, as messengers in fast food.
How drones evolved and how they can be used in the future
The first thing to
know is that drones are a breakthrough in technology as they bring together the
best in robotics, electronics, and even aeronautics. We usually imagine these
devices with reduced dimensions, however, they come in a wide variety of sizes
and applications that allow them to be used in all kinds of tasks.
Many activities
carried out by drones involve additional risks, either because of their
complexity (explosives detection, aerial reconnaissance) or because of the difficulty of access for people (extinguishing high altitude fires, rescue
operations, etc.).
Drones come in a
variety of sizes: small, medium, and large. The smallest fit in the palm of
your hand, while the middle ones are like a soccer ball. The largest of these
are small planes that can be used as sprayers, missile detectors, or even as
Internet service providers in countries with limited Internet access.
They consist of
several parts: propellers, battery, housing, camera (most of them include
cameras and camcorders), and remote control. Some require two people to use
it, one for piloting and one for recording. There are drones between 60 and 100
euros that can be used as toys and that have a battery that allows them to fly
in minutes. It starts from 500 euros when you can buy a professional drone with
a quality camera. For example, one of the most famous drones is the Phantom 3,
which costs about 600 euros. There are others, such as the Tali H500 Walkera,
which is priced at 1,600 euros and allows you to take professional-quality
photos.
Very interesting
advantages:
Aerial
surveillance.
Safety and
prevention. They can be used in fire, police surveillance, earthquake
detection, traffic jam prevention, etc.
Leisure and sports.
For recording images in hard-to-reach places.
Photography and
tourism. This technology is especially useful for recording excellent quality
3D images and videos.
One example of the
benefits of this technology is the Águila (in English, Aquila) Facebook
project. A few months ago, Facebook launched a solar-powered robot called Eagle
that uses laser technology to bring the Internet to the African continent. The
idea of a technology multinational corporation is to connect all countries in
Africa and other remote areas that do not have access to the Internet. It is
estimated that more than 4,000 million people worldwide are experiencing
network connectivity issues, and drones and mobile applications may be the
solution. For this reason, Aquila flies at an altitude of over 10,000 meters in
order to communicate with people.
Drones are also
used in Africa to combat poaching. In some nature parks, rangers have drones
equipped with thermal cameras as allies to monitor elephants, rhinos, gorillas, and other endangered species and prevent poachers from pursuing these animals.
The electronic device is programmed to fly to remote areas using a GPS
coordinate map where hunter activity is suspected. When drones fly, they send a
signal through mobile apps that are received by remote control or the mobile
phone of rangers and pilots.
It is a cheap way
to travel long distances as the cost of a drone is cheaper than a helicopter
flight. Human casualties can even be avoided, as was the case of a
helicopter that was shot down by poachers.
However, you don't have to go that far to find a use for
this new technology. Many companies and photo studios have adopted these
devices to revolutionize the industry and offer new panoramas that will take
your breath away. For example, the Provincial Council of A Coruña (Galicia) has
been contracted to provide services to a company that leases these devices for
tourism in the Das Fragas do Eume Natural Park. The drone can also be used for
more intimate purposes such as weddings, christenings, or parties.
Access to this new technology has changed the way many
companies make photo albums, even many cities are choosing to offer their
travel services through drone recordings and mobile apps.
Recreation and tourism are other industries that drones have
settled in, opening up great opportunities for the future. Thanks to these
devices, the ability to broadcast live events allows viewers around the world
to watch extreme sports.
Security is also an area where there are great opportunities
for drones. In fact, they started with military use to enhance defense and
defense in the army. Today, state security forces and agencies use these tools
to fight crime, and they are often more effective at imposing fines than human
ones, due to the fact that they reach everywhere.
However, despite all the possibilities, drones are
technically complex devices that not everyone has. You must pass the drone
pilot exam and have a special permit. And the fact is that this technology has
recently been regulated in our country, as it cannot be used in certain
places, especially in public places.
While the law permits the use of drones by individuals, it
is companies and multinationals that can get the most out of these devices. In
particular, the food industry can take advantage of these small flying robots
to deliver food. Some countries, like Israel and Russia, already have companies
that send pizza to your home using drones. The British company Domino's ran an
advertising campaign using a DomiCopter drone to distribute their products. The
original idea was for the seller to place the order remotely in a public place
for the buyer via online payment. The drone then brings us the Margarita pizza
in less than five minutes. If you prefer a different pizza, this is also
possible!
In China, the postal company SF Express also uses these
aircraft for small shipments. Also in the United States, the multinational
Amazon is trying to enter the food delivery market. However, while companies
are trying to use this technology in their restaurants and fast food companies,
the biggest problem is laws and regulations. Technology is advancing faster
than society, which is often unprepared for these devices. Please be aware that
in Spain you may be fined for recording without permission in public places
where there is a large influx of people, such as demonstrations, etc. If you
use a drone without a professional title or permission from the competent
authorities, you may also face a fine.
However, it is possible that drones and common sense will
prevail sooner or later since there are already life-saving nurse drones
equipped with defibrillators. Food delivery is one of the sectors in which
companies can increase their sales through the drone delivery business. In
addition, the benefits are enormous, as they will reduce carbon and CO2
emissions by reducing car and motorcycle traffic, and improving efficiency and
delivery times.
Paying online via mobile apps to call drones to your home is
becoming an ever closer option. The waiters may have changed drones after a few
years. And in that, the benefits outweigh the disadvantages and even help save
lives. In the United States, a girl named Chris Earley is watched by a drone
driven by her father every day she goes to school. It is possible that in the
near future, Chris's children will also accompany these gadgets and even bring
food and a backpack with them.