Drones
| Amid the controversy surrounding military drones, other drones have a lot of potential uses, like delivery and as life saving aids in disaster situations. We are only just beginning to understand how this technology will affect our lives. |
Drones, which are also called "unmanned aerial vehicles" or UAVs, are aircraft that don't have a pilot onboard. They can be controlled remotely by a pilot on the ground or in another aircraft. Increasingly, however, they are controlled by computers, and they have many uses:
Military Purposes
Drones, as most people know, were originally designed and used by the military. The earliest drone-like devices made were Remote Piloted Vehicles or RPVs which date back to the first half of the 20th century. They were used to train anti-aircraft gunners.
These very early unmanned planes had automatic pilot systems that used gyroscopes, timers and weights to guide them to their destination. Unmanned aircraft were also used during the Vietnam War.
The Israeli military developed the first modern drones in 1973. The Israelis devised the first live video data-link systems that enabled them to steer and control a jet in real time. By 2013, over 50 countries had and used drones.
Governments
Civilian governments of all levels use drones. In Australia, various environmental agencies use drones to monitor illegal dumping and fishing operations. Other agencies have used drones to measure landfills.
Businesses
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Amazon, the online shipping company, is developing drones to deliver packages to customers—in under 30 minutes. The drone service, which is called Amazon Prime Air, is expected by some to one day replace delivery trucks.
Humanitarian Aid
After the recent earthquakes in Nepal, a Canadian team of rescue workers used drones to locate people who were trapped in inaccessible areas. They also used the drones to determine how badly buildings were damaged.Personal
Private citizens can use drones, too. Some private use drones
have cameras and tracking devices built into them. The user will wear a personal tracker around their wrist, thus enabling the drone to follow their every move.The drone will follow the user, no matter where they go or what they do. It can follow people who are snowboarding or climbing mountains, and it will film them the whole time. Other personal drones are being developed to fetch groceries and drop off forgotten items to their owners.
While there is a lot of controversy surrounding the military drones, civilian drones have a lot of potential as useful additions to our technology-enhanced lives. Some of those uses, like locating trapped disaster victims, could save lives. Others will simply make people's lives a bit easier.
SOURCE Drones ETC.
| By Emma Sturgis | Embed |
Author Bio - Emma is a freelance writer currently living in Boston, MA. She writes most often on education and technology. When not writing, she enjoys watching old movies and indoor rock climbing.
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