| On Topic
carrying drone vehicles on our
roads are overwhelming.
• In infrastructure and construction,
drones are already significantly reducing the
time and resources needed to plan and build
our roads and buildings, making the progress
faster, safer and much more cost effective.
Indeed drones are shaping plans for new smart
cities for which the use of these technologies
will be part of the fabric of life.
• In agriculture, drones will use advanced
scanning technology to detect crop disease
before it is visible to the human eye and assist
in the intelligent use of pesticides, thus
dramatically reducing our exposure to them
and increasing crop yields.
• In medicine, drones are already being
trailed which are able to attend the scene of an
accident within minutes to scan the area in 3D,
feed this information to the emergency services
to assist with access and pre-attendance
assessment, and then land with medical
supplies.
• In the marine environment, Remotely
Operated Vehicles or Unmanned Underwater
Vehicles have been used extensively in the
inspection and repair of pipelines and oil rigs
for many years. Indeed this sector is very well
established in many respects as a standalone
industry, and is often neglected when
calculating the growth of the drone market. As
the range of applications for drones in the
marine environment expands into exploration,
environmental monitoring and intervention, the
value to the industry is rapidly increasing. This
is definitely a sector to watch as technologies
create opportunities for businesses and
investors.
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“There
are many
other examples
from the use of
drones in mining when
new resources become
available which were previously
inaccessible; in defence as new
technology enables us to meet threats
without risking the lives of our soldiers, and in
security of everything from oil pipelines to
individuals and many more.
“The keys to growth for this exciting young
industry are:
• First we need to educate the public on the
positive impact that this technology will have on
their lives, and not sow the kind of fear that
preceded the introduction of the automobile
which led to people having to walk in front of a
car waving a red flag!
• We need investors to get behind the
research and development which will enable
the industry to break through the barrie rs it
faces such as ‘operations beyond visual line of
sight’, the integration of airspace, and the
adoption of multi environment systems (from air
to land to sea and beyond).
• And finally we need governments worldwide
to stand firmly behind the drone industry to
ensure that it is not choked by over
regulation… thankfully something the UK
Government has indicated it is keen to avoid…
and
to work
together to
find effective
ways to promote
responsible use, without
stifling a great new sector
which has the potential to make
such an important contribution to the
wellbeing of people and businesses
throughout the world.”
“The potential for the drone industry
worldwide is huge, and particularly for the UK
economy where the combination of our
intellectual capital – our technology,
engineering, innovation, governance, and
above all, our development and support of high
standards – is world class.”
March 2018 | Farming Monthly | 11