Soon you’ll see more drones hovering over you in the sky. It’s
estimated that nearly two million consumer drones (unmanned aerial vehicles)
will be sold this year around the world. By 2020, the world drone market could top $127 billion, according to PwC.
While drones have been used by the military for many years,
civilian and commercial sales have risen, and so have safety concerns amongst
regulators and law enforcement agencies. Their main concerns are about
potential drone crashes into stadiums or collisions with airplanes.
In 2016, the government allowed new rules making it easier for
companies to use drones for commercial purposes such as aerial survey,
verifying insurance claims, and boosting agricultural crop yields. This has also
led to new industries for aerial survey consulting and drone consulting.
What Are Drones
(Unmanned Aerial Vehicles)?
Drones, or UAVs, are similar to what airplane hobbyists have
used for decades, but are a much more advanced version. They come in helicopter
and airplane options and are typically piloted from the ground by a human with
a radio controller. Some varieties are capable of autonomous flight based on
programmed coordinates.
What Can Drones Be Used For?
Many hobbyists buy drones for the entertainment and
challenge of flying an object in the sky. One of the more popular reasons is
capturing high-quality photographs and video from an aerial vantage point.
Since the government made it easier to use drones for
commercial purposes, companies can use drones for several tasks including
aerial survey consulting, drone consulting, aerial photography, emergency
response, etc. Regulations currently do not allow package delivery, something Amazon
and Google are eager to get approved.
Companies interested in using drones for their business has even
expanded to include the real estate industry, news organizations, farmers,
emergency responders, and more.
Do Drones Pose Any Risks?
Perhaps the biggest safety concern is if drones were to collide
with an aircraft and endanger passengers. In some cases, drones capturing
aerial footage of wildfires has hindered airplane and helicopter pilots trying
to put out the blaze. In addition, drones have crashed near crowded events such
as football games and the U.S. Open. Drones may also violate privacy or could
be used in crimes to smuggle drugs and weapons into prisons. To combat these
concerns, some drone developers are designing software to keep people from
flying their drones into restricted airspace.
In 2016, new rules governing commercial drone use were
released by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This allowed a broad
range of industries to use drones under 55 pounds with a few restrictions:
·
Drones must be operated by a pilot who is at
least 16 years old and has passed a written test.
·
Drones can only be flown below 400 feet during
the day.
·
Drones cannot come within five miles of
airports.
The rules did not allow delivery of packages which Google
and Amazon have pushed the FAA to allow to significantly reduce their
ground-based delivery. Some experts suggest it won’t be long until their goal
may become a reality.
In addition, rules from 2015 require all owners of remote-controlled
recreational drones to register in a national database. Drone owners must
submit their name, home address, and email address to the FAA.
Certain states are passing their own regulations. At least
twenty states have passed increased restrictions on consumer drones in efforts
to keep them away from schools, churches, parks, and neighborhoods.
Are you interested in learning more about commercial drones
for your business? At Insitu, we offer drone consulting and aerial survey consulting services to help you find the right
equipment and software to suit your needs. Contact us to learn how we can help
you.
No comments:
Post a Comment