How a Drone Uses Technology

Drones can be found just about anywhere on earth, from assisting in search and rescue efforts after natural disasters to keeping law enforcement agencies and military personnel safe during terrorist situations to supporting scientific research in some of the planet’s harshest climates. The small, unmanned aircrafts are also used for entertainment purposes in our homes and as a tool for professional photographers and filmmakers.

A drone uses a combination of mechanical, electrical and computer technologies to achieve flight. A rotor-based system spins the drone’s propellers to create lift, while sensors (accelerometers and altimeters) measure speed, direction and position and feed the data to the robot’s brain, known as a flight controller. The system then controls the drone’s motors to respond to the data.

As a result, drones can be incredibly versatile and customizable to suit specific needs. For instance, a drone could be programmed to fly in a particular direction or pattern, or it might follow a specific person through a complex environment. Research at Carnegie Mellon University is underway to develop autonomous software that would enable a drone to operate without an active human guide.

The most visible use of drones is in professional filmmaking, allowing filmmakers to get aerial perspectives that would be impractical or dangerous to reach otherwise. These images have revolutionized the way movies are shot, pushing cinematography into new frontiers.

Drones are also used by sports teams and television networks to capture live and taped sports footage that can be sold or broadcast. The technology is so popular that a global drone-racing league has been formed.

In addition to its entertainment applications, drones are a key technology for many different businesses, from agriculture and insurance to construction and security. In the agricultural industry, drones can help to identify crop disease and other issues before they become severe. They can also monitor river levels to predict flooding and detect areas being illegally logged. In the insurance industry, drones can help to assess damage to roofs and other structures quickly and easily, saving both time and money.

Using a drone for scouting can be more cost-effective than hiring a helicopter, and it can provide a much higher resolution photo or video. Likewise, drones can be used in construction to check the quality of concrete or other materials before pouring, and they can also assist with inspections of bridges and tunnels, and at power plants and wind and solar farms to monitor performance and spot problems.

Other industries are beginning to discover the benefits of drone technology as well. For example, the Minnesota Department of Transportation is using drones to make road repairs more efficient and save 40% in associated costs. Similarly, a team at Microsoft is using drones to capture and test mosquitoes for signs of infectious diseases, which could then be used to prevent the spread of these viruses from animals to humans.

Other common drone uses include delivering goods over long distances, providing an eye-in-the-sky for law enforcement and the military during a crisis, or helping to survey land from remote locations. Some models even have a range of up to 644 km and can remain airborne for 24 hours or more.