10 Amazing Ways Drones Are Helping Improve Human Life

kiogora martin
7 min readJan 26, 2021

How Drones Are Helping Improve Human Life.

A lot of people have heard about UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle), popularly known as drones, but don’t exactly know what they are or how they function. A drone is basically a pilotless aircraft that can be operated remotely through a combination of technologies, including AI, computer vision, autonomy, object avoidance tech, and more.

These devices feature a range of equipment and payloads to help perform different missions. For instance, a drone with video camera and GPS can identify objects and help create 3D maps. Drones are available in different sizes, with the large ones mostly powered by airplane engines while the smaller ones use lithium-polymer batteries.

Drone Image of road meadering

Drones have been around for many years. But a technology that was once only accessible to the military is increasingly becoming ubiquitous in today’s society. A large number of organizations and industries are adopting this technology, without forgetting recreational users. As drone technology advances and with rising accessibility of these devices, there have been ongoing debates that weigh their benefits against their legal and ethical concerns.

As with any form of technology, UAV can be good or bad depending on how and why it’s being used. Hostile drones can be used to smuggle contraband, gather intelligence on sensitive assets, and even invade one’s privacy. But thanks to anti-drone systems, all these issues are being kept in check. What is an anti-drone? These are systems used to detect or/and intercept unwanted drones. Today we will focus on how drones are helping improve human life, and here’s how:

  1. Disaster Relief and Humanitarian Aid.

Time is golden during search and rescue (SAR) missions following natural disasters. Drones allow first responders to obtain real-time data on an incident for more successful SAR missions. They offer fast coverage of the search area and thanks to their ability to carry other devices like heat sensors, a drone with 360 recording camera is also able to find victims that would otherwise be difficult to spot with naked eyes.

drone helping in Disaster Relief and Humanitarian Aid.

In addition to combating disasters, drones are also being used to assess the damage and prevent disaster altogether. By gathering information all around the affected area, they can build a picture of the situation and help find ways to prevent a similar incidence in the future. These devices are even being used to study active volcanoes and hurricanes, which is not only safe for researchers but also cost-effective. This also helps in forecasting natural disaster and coming up with preventive measures to save lives.

2. Wildlife Conservation

Poaching is a big issue that is risking the existence of several wildlife species like elephants and rhinos. The good news is drones are currently being used to police vast tracks of land and keep an eye on these animals.

While rhino and elephant poaching are the most known wildlife crimes, an underwater drone with camera can help track illegal fishing, which would otherwise kill off certain sea creatures, deplete resources, and disrupt an entire ecosystem.

Drones are also being used by scientists and researchers to observe and study animals without disturbing their natural habitat or putting people at risk of attack from animals.

3. Aerial Mapping and Monitoring Nature

These devices are ideal for mapping. They can provide high-resolution images of any conserved wetland, tropical rainforest, island, and the ever-changing coasts. As mentioned earlier, drones can carry other devices and this includes meteorological equipment like humidity and pressure sensors, wind gauges, thermometers, etc, to collect climate data across the globe.

Drone Aerial Mapping and Monitoring Nature
Credit/aerialphoto

All this data on ecosystem changes helps to address complex environmental issues that lie in the interface of ecology like climate change. So, go ahead and explore the skies above at the speed of lightning with the help of a sky rider drone with camera.

4. Creating Careers

As drone technology becomes more popular, there’s an increasing need for those who can build and design them, without forgetting drone pilots. In fact, about 100,000 new jobs are estimated to be available in the US by 2025 courtesy of this technology. Designing and building drones has also allowed students to develop their skills in software and hardware design, as well as robotics.

Did you know that there are drone racing competitions across the globe that attract a wide range of participants, including the said pilots? Well, the Drone Racing League is the highest-priced tournaments.

5. Package Delivery

We’ve been hearing about Amazon and other big companies wanting to enlist drones in their product delivery services between short distances. This will not only allow customers to get their stuff fast but also reduce gas emissions and energy use otherwise caused by delivery cars/trucks.

Credit/phonlamaiphoto

And, as the technology evolves, these devices will be able to carry larger loads over greater distances. Of course, these companies are required to register drone with FAA to make this delivery method viable.

6. Defense and Security

As mentioned earlier, drones were first made for defense purposes and currently, several countries across the globe possess some form of military drone technology. Many of these drones are designed for surveillance purposes but there are others for offensive operations and also to lead tactical initiatives.

A drone with HD camera also provides a more comprehensive surveillance system for residential and commercial properties, traffic, large crowds, and more. These devices come with live streaming and video recording capabilities to obtain key footage of an incident like capturing street crime or a break-in.

7. Aerial Photography

Drones have allowed photographers, filmmakers, journalists, and even the real estate market to capture dramatic aerial photos and videos without having to use a helicopter. A drone with bottom facing camera is an all-in-one solution for awe-inspiring photography, allowing users to collect footage that would otherwise be difficult to obtain due to high costs, safety issues, time constraints, or physical barriers.

8. Agriculture

It can be hard to get a sense of what’s going on in an entire farm, let alone the costs involved and the time it would take. Luckily, farmers can use a drone with a video camera to quickly and efficiently collect data about their crops and animals, soil quality, and other crucial factors that will help them better manage their farms.

Some drones can even automate redundant processes like planting, fertilization, picking produce, and more. Many tools can accompany drones to help with crop mapping. NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), for instance, can measure the health of the crops. And, a drone with flamethrower could be a game-changer when it comes to incinerating weeds and other unwanted ground plants.

9. Aid in Medical Emergencies

Certain circumstances call for quick access to medical supplies; plus, there are remote areas that are not accessible by ambulances. In both situations, drones can help deliver medical supplies such as blood, donated organs, first-aid kits, automatic external defibrillators (AEDs), and all kinds of drugs. A remote control drone with camera can also allow doctors to examine patients remotely and even give medical guidance during an emergency.

10. Useful Tools for Businesses and Organizations

From the texts above, it’s clear how valuable drones can be valuable for businesses. For starters, they can be used to inspect commercial sites and large-scale industrial equipment, as well as check inventory in less time than doing it manually. Shots taken by a small drone with camera can help those in the real estate market gain traction for their properties. Those in the mining and construction industries can also benefit from these unmanned devices.

Conclusion

From entry-level drones like pocket drones to more advanced drone technology like the drone with follow me, there’s a wide variety of UAVs to choose from. And, with more and more of these devices being used for recreational or commercial purposes, there’s no question that they are here to stay.

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kiogora martin

Electronics Engineering Tech, Safety Observer, Writer, Marathon Runner. thegadgetsjudge.com. Follow Me @kenyatrailguide @thegadgetsjudge