What Can A Drone Do For Your Business?

Initially used by the military for various purposes, drones have now become common among all industries. Their uses are expanding every day. Almost every industry you can think of has begun taking help from these crewless aircraft. They offer various services and help out in conducting a lot of tasks that take much less time now. The question is, what can a drone do for you? And that's what we will be answering in this article. 

What Is A Drone? 

A drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle that can either be remotely piloted or controlled by a human. It can be flown autonomously, meaning it flies depending on the LIDAR detector and sensor systems to help manoeuvre its way on the field. 

What Is The Variety Of Heights And Distances It Can Travel? 

A drone, otherwise known as a UAV, can fly multiple heights depending on the design and model. There are much smaller versions of drones and larger ones for other purposes. The longest range a UAV can fly is up 3000 feet up in the air and 400 miles in the distance covered. These long-range drones are also called "Endurance" UAVs. Middle-range UAVs can travel up to 400 miles in the distance.

Short-range UAVs can travel up to 90 miles. However, another category of drones is close range—the close-range one's travel up to 30 miles, mostly used by the hobbyist. 

Usability

Due to drones' ability to fly at varying heights and distances, They make an excellent contender for some of the difficult jobs performed by humans in the world. From conducting surveillance to dropping off supplies, measuring the height of crops, detecting life after hurricane damage, and other medical usages. Ever since drones have become accessible to people, the uses have been defined accordingly. Depending on the drone size, it can carry up to 55 pounds of weight easily. Drones are also being used by military and disaster management, and UAVs provide a bird's eye view and height signatures of the people in the area. Scientists are also making good use of the technology for advancement by researching areas that are hard to reach by humans. Not only that, many photographers and photography hobbyists have acquired drones and use them to take stunning pictures and make videos of scenic views. 

Different Types Of UAVs: 

Single Rotor Helicopters

These UAVs look like small helicopters. They run on gas and can carry the weight of a lidar system. Running on gas means they are more stable and can go the distance. 

Multi-Rotor Drones

These are small-range drones and can carry only lightweight objects such as a camera. With limited distance, speed, and height, they are great for aerial photographers and offer 20 to 30 minutes in air time. 

Fixed Wings UAVs

The military mostly uses these drones to conduct airstrikes. They don't have rotors; instead, they rely on wings, which means they take off and land as the airplanes do on runways.

What Are The Uses of UAVs? 

Some of the industries that are taking advantage of drones include:

Military

The most controversial and well-known use of a drone is by the military. The US and British Military used this technology for the surveillance of the Axis Powers in the 1940s. The models used in the 1940s are not nearly as good and advanced as those used nowadays.

These new drones are equipped with laser range finders, thermal imaging, and the ability to conduct airstrikes. Currently, the most prominent drone used is the MQ-9 that is equipped with several missiles and intelligence collection tools. 

Delivery

These UAVs are becoming more common among delivery companies as they can deliver goods right to your doorstep. These drones can carry up to 55 pounds of weight and work well for delivering goods. This saves the suppliers time and money, as they don't have to mobilise a whole truck from small deliveries. These UAVs are also known as the "last mile drones." 

Emergency Rescue 

Sometimes, depending on the severity of the disaster, it can be difficult to send people in, or it can even be hard to locate the survivors. That's where drones come in. They can locate the heat signatures of the people on the ground or in the area. Not only that, but underwater drones are known as the AUV – Autonomous Underwater Vehicles can be used to bring drowning people to safety. An Aircraft developer, Kaman, has made an aircraft that can carry 6000 pounds of weight, and it has already been used in China and Australia for various rescues.

Outer Space

The US Air Force and NASA have been working together to develop unmanned aircraft to send to outer space. A UAV known as the X-37B has been the Air Force's most secretive project. It has now been circling the earth for the past couple of years, which compiles to more than 719 days. According to the Air Force, the purpose of X37-B is twofold; the first being "reusable aircrafts technology for the future of America in space," and the second being "conducting experiments that can be brought back to earth and examined." 

Medicine 

Delivering medicines during emergencies and disasters has been a serious concern in the past couple of years. However, the UAVs have helped the situation but literally becoming the helping hand. UAVs are being used in rural Alaska to transport medical supplies to indigenous areas and other remote areas. Drones have proven their worth in transferring donated organs to transplant patients as well. Recently in Maryland, a kidney was transported under 4 minutes from one hospital to the other. 

Agriculture

Agriculture is an industry where tasks are often repetitive and time-consuming. The farmers are continuously striving to cut costs and expand their yields. Drones can be used to identify areas where the crops are failing. Drones can help map the farmland and study the irrigation systems. Drones can also be equipped to make the longest fertiliser task, spraying pesticides, and watering the crops easier. 

Architecture And Construction

Taking top shots of the land helps the construction companies to develop a 3D model of the construction they intend for the land. Construction workers can also benefit from having a 3D render of the final construction the contractor desires. This is a much cheaper and easier way of taking aerial shots of the land that will help build real-world 3D renderings and models that architects and construction workers can use. 

Photographers/Entertainment

Photographers and vloggers have made use of this technology in the best way possible. They can take aerial shots of the beaches, sands, mountains, and other scenic views. These drones are being used in wedding photography and from taking cool top shots to walking in with the bride. These drones can capture everything, and those memorable moments can translate into great videos/movies. 

We hope you found this article insightful. Let us know if you have ever used a drone or if you plan to buy one for personal use or professional in the comment section below.