The Way these Drones are Being Used Might Surprise You
In recent years drones have become an increasing frequent component of society, and many of the ways these drones are being used might surprise you. From purely recreational uses to advancing military capabilities, flying drones, or UAVs, are used for everything from aerial photography to saving lives. Drone photography is one of the main uses and the remote controlled aircraft are flown in over 100 countries worldwide. Here are just five ways flying drones are used throughout the world:
Delivering Blood and Medical Supplies in Rwanda
While the use of drones is causing concerns about privacy in the U.S. and Europe, in the East-African country of Rwanda the uses of flying drones are being embraced. Due to a partnership between the Rwandan Health Ministry and drone startup Zipline, medical supplies are being delivered by UAVs to remote areas. So far the service has delivered over 5,500 units of blood to backcountry areas where usual medical-supply lines simply can’t reach. The service is coordinated with 12 hospitals to provide life-saving assistance to over five million people.
Adding Traffic Police in Korea
South Korean police are using drones to monitor traffic on the 103km stretch of the road running from Gwangju to Nonsan, to assist in catching violators. The flying drones observed violators and transferred live footage to an operator at a monitoring center. A police officer then determined whether a traffic violation took place. If violators were detected, the police set up patrols and caught the offenders. In just one day, thanks to the traffic drones, police were able to ticket over 100 violators. However, many people felt the operation was a bad idea, as it could have end up causing motorists to be distracted and lose control of their vehicles.
Spotting Diseased Crops
Crop diseases can impact plant health long before any visible signs of disease, like leaf discoloration, begin to appear. Researchers are developing cameras for drone photography with special filters that can detect subtle changes in the UV light spectrum. These changes, that are the first sign of disease in crops, are undetectable to the naked eye. The cameras, attached to flying drones, will allow farmers to spot and stop plant infections before the disease spreads to the entire crop.
Search and Rescue of Stranded Mountain Climbers
According to the British Broadcasting Company, flying drones are being used in Scotland to search remote areas for missing people, such as hikers and mountain climbers. Drones can quickly get into areas that can be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to access without a UAV.
Mountain Wave Search and Rescue in Portland, Oregon is using advanced drone technology with thermal imaging cameras to help look for lost people in extreme conditions. Additionally, these drones are also capable of dropping a payload of lifesaving supplies when needed.
Helping to Conserve the Great Wall of China
China claims the second largest number of World Heritage Sites on earth, including the Great Wall of China, built during the 14th to 17th centuries of the Ming Dynasty. Flying drones are being used to scout very remote and badly weathered sections of the wall to determine which areas are in need of immediate repair.
