Drones: What the future holds.

Drones are Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) that are remotely controlled or pre-programmed to carry out flying missions. The application of UAVs has been seen across various industries; ranging from military to sports and from photography to logistics. Camera drones are the most popular category in the mainstream market, thanks to their widespread use; from covering news and sports to even personal events like weddings and parties. The overall potential is massive. With so many drones used for so many things, it is invariable that demand for skilled drone pilots will go up in the foreseeable future.

The history of UAVs in modern history dates back to at least 1839 when Austrian soldiers used an uncrewed aerial machine to carry explosives into enemy territory. And even today, the cutting edge of drone tech is still only accessible by the military; for a variety of operations. Attack, reconnaissance, collection of weather data, and unmanned logistic support are duties that are being carried out by drones for many defense forces all around the world.

In the civilian sphere, camera drones are the most used. With tech developing at a rapid rate, and drone cameras getting faster and better, they have enabled us to capture moments in ways that we thought couldn’t be possible before. Drone racing is also a famous sporting event, which attracts enthusiasts from all over the world, and is pivotal for the development of faster and more efficient tech in this domain. Agro-industry is also a key market for drones, as they can be designed to monitor the fields and even to spray fertilizers and keeping birds away.

Drones can be effectively used in the aviation industry too, for outdoor airport inspections, using drones for deliveries so the runways and roads can be kept clear of road vehicles, controlling bird traffic and presence around flying zones. Despite the orthodox notion of UAVs being disruptive to commercial airline activity, the opposite is true if the right kind of drones and rules are deployed. Full UAV fleets of airlines aren’t too far in the future, with such companies already getting permissions after their testing.

They also play a major role in aircraft maintenance. Inspecting aircrafts for lightning damage took 4-6 hours earlier, can now be completed in about 30 minutes with the help of drones. Other things that modern drones are capable of include scanning the fuselage for scheduled maintenance, delivery of spare parts, and automated defect detection.

The future; as forecasted by many eminent minds will witness automation at a drastic rate, and machines will replace humans in many jobs. Where it may seem that drones may take the jobs of people across many sectors, it is also inevitable that new jobs will be born, as drone pilots, programmers, and developers. Aviation will be at the helm of consumer tech, and it’s only certain that seeing a drone flying outside your window, will be a common sight in the future.