TECHNOLOGY FOR GOOD
DRONES FOR GOOD
“Their uses offer substantial safety benefits as well as reducing operational down time.�
For many people, the jury is still out as to whether airborne drones are a force for good or a force for evil. But for all the bad press, drones have the capacity to offer up significant benefits for society which go well beyond the well publicised parcel delivery application. The reality is that the technology surrounding drones is developing at an astonishing rate. Drones have an almost limitless capability to add significant value to many functions in society, offering up the opportunity to undertake tasks that are inherently risky for humans to carry out, or to transport items from place to place quickly and efficiently. They also have the capability to be used by our Armed Forces to undertake many functions which substantially contribute to the safety and security of our country as well as our military personnel.
Emergency services Our emergency services are already deriving benefit from rapidly delivering transplant organs, blood or defibrillators to where they are urgently needed; or for surveillance or operational purposes, including rapid response to scenes of crime. This will relieve the use of personnel and reduce risk to the public. Drones have a role to play in assisting with disaster planning and response such as with fire fighting, having been used successfully in the Notre Dame fire with the tactical deployment of fire fighters and equipment. There have been reported incidents of drones being employed to locate missing members of the public. Drones have also successfully dropped lifebelts to people who have been stranded at sea.
Commercial sector Drones can be used to inspect power lines, train tracks, oil and gas pipelines and rigs, buildings and many other structures to assess safety and address issues with functionality.
Retail sector Drones can also play a big role in understanding consumer shopping behaviour. Capturing consumer movement will be helpful for retailers in studying how to better lay out the floor space to attract customers. Drones can also ensure the floor is always stocked, bringing new items out when they see an item is starting to run low on the shelf.
