Drone Use in Today Society - From Analytics to Emergency Response

Drone Use in Today's Society: From Analytics to Emergency Response

This is the drone era, and unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs, are increasingly becoming a part of daily life.

As drone technology advances, industries and governments alike are discovering new uses for this emerging technology. TechNewsWorld spoke with several experts to learn how drones are being deployed and what the future holds for their use.

One common thread running through all of their perspectives is that drones are not simply flying machines; they are also data collectors and processors.

"At the end of the day, the product of our drone industry is data, not aircraft," explained Reese Mozer, co-founder and CEO of American Robotics. "True automation enables the collection of a previously uncollectible category of data, resulting in a new category of valuable analytics and insights."

Drones range in size from those the size of a small aircraft to those the size of your hand. They are equally versatile in terms of the services they can provide.

Drones are aerial robots, according to Richard Schwartz, president and CEO of Pensa Systems. "They are small and agile, cost a hundred times less than bulky ground-based robots, and capable of 'hopping over' obstacles and changes in physical locations."

"As a result, they have the potential to be a scalable industry and multisector solution, utilizing autonomous perception — that is, where the computer sees and interprets what it sees — to further automate tasks that are either tedious or difficult for humans."

Building Drones

One innovation in the drone world has been the development of new methods for building drones, such as in-home workshops or other small workstations such as those found in Aquiline Drones' Agile Manufacturing Pod (AMP) model.

"AMP is a mobile, high-tech workstation that can be installed in homes, businesses, battlefields, and other locations to meet the country's growing demand for drone services," Barry Alexander, founder and CEO of Aquiline Drones explained.

"Essentially, it is a proprietary modular manufacturing process that converts any 12-foot by 12-foot area into a mini-manufacturing center in less than a day."

This mobile manufacturing system is transforming not only the way drones are manufactured, but also how people work.

"All AMP operators receive detailed instructions and guidance via the AD Cloud, an artificial intelligence system that automates inventory management, quality control, and shipping," Alexander explained. "Operators can then produce as many drones as they wish, bearing in mind that each drone takes approximately eight hours to build.

"Once constructed, Aquiline Drones will purchase AMP-produced drones directly from the operator, paying a premium of between $200 and $800 over the cost of production, depending on the drone model."

Emergency Response

Numerous industries and businesses are exploring ways to leverage the unique capabilities of drones, particularly their capacity for data collection and processing. One of the primary advantages of drones in a variety of business scenarios is that they are simply safer than humans.

"In terms of safety, drones eliminate the need for helicopters and human climbers on vertical structures to conduct inspections," Dave Culler, PrecisionHawk's senior vice president of strategic partnerships, told TechNewsWorld.

"Also, once a critical issue is identified via drone, the repair is extremely targeted, minimizing the time required for someone to be on the structure. The quality will continue to improve, and AI models will ensure that critical issues are identified in the shortest amount of time possible.

"Drones are extremely eco-friendly, particularly when compared to a helicopter flying and transporting thousands of pounds of jet fuel," Culler explained.

Drones have become an integral part of first responders' work as a result of their unique capabilities, providing information about disasters, crimes, and other events before any human being arrives on the scene.

"Drones enable effective disaster and medical response, including the delivery of emergency supplies and equipment to victims in areas deemed unsafe for human travel," Alexander explained.

"They can be deployed ahead of police to capture firsthand footage of crimes in progress, including live footage of the scene and images of criminals. In a'smart city' initiative, AI-driven sensors capable of detecting abnormal sounds associated with crime and danger can be deployed in strategic locations throughout a region to provide police officers with advance warnings, thereby ensuring their safety on the job.

"When seconds count during an emergency, drones can be organized ahead of first responders, fire departments, and EMTs to assess the situation, conduct critical analysis of the scene, and deliver lifesaving supplies to victims who are not immediately accessible by human beings."

Drone technology is also transforming delivery – a trend that is likely to continue.

"Drones are an excellent complement to other modes of transportation, particularly in rural or difficult-to-reach areas," Thomas Dreiling, a Wingcopter spokesperson, explained.

"In many cases, they can deliver goods faster, more efficiently, and, in the case of electrically powered drones like the Wingcopter, more environmentally friendly than trucks, vans, or helicopters."

Autonomously Into the Future

Drone technology is rapidly evolving. Drones are expected to become a more integral part of everyday life in the not-too-distant future as they become more sophisticated.

"Drones will play an increasingly important role in our lives, whether for delivery, mapping/surveying/inspection, or precision agriculture," Dreiling explained.

"Use cases that demonstrate a clear benefit to society, such as drone-based medical delivery networks that increase access to healthcare in rural, underserved communities, will increase public acceptance and pave the way for future applications."

Drones will become more integrated into all facets of human life and activity as they become more autonomous.

"We're only a few years away from the majority of drones flying autonomously over long distances inspecting, delivering pizzas, and delivering medical supplies in record time," Culler predicted.

Today, the US military is capable of flying and monitoring drones across the globe. "Drones will also integrate autonomously with other robotic capabilities, completing the end-to-end inspection solution with air and ground capture." Automation, machine learning, and artificial intelligence will improve the quality of inspections and data, ensuring that insight to action occurs as quickly as light."