Many people are wary of drone technology and have concerns about data privacy and noise pollution but the pros of drones far outweigh the cons which is why the industry is growing year on year.
Here are 23 reasons drones are benefiting the world and are here to stay.
The Pros of Drones for the Environment
Drones have the potential to improve environmental monitoring and conservation efforts, leading to more sustainable practices and better protection of our planet’s natural resources.
1. Conservation, Animal Monitoring & Poachers
Drones help researchers and conservationists monitor and track wildlife populations without disturbing them or their habitats. They are also helping to identify and prevent illegal activities such as poaching.
Fixed-wing drones are particularly popular for conservation due to their ability to cover huge areas of land and stay in the air for a long time compared to multirotor drones.
Environmental Benefits of Agricultural Drones
2. Reduction of chemical run off into water ways
When it comes to agricultural drones most people think of the business benefits such as reducing costs and improving crop yield but the benefits are also environmental. Agricultural spray drones are already addressing the issue of excess fertiliser runoff from agriculture with precision spray systems.
Drones are used to produce detailed maps of crop health and then distribute fertiliser and pesticides in those specific areas. This targeting spraying approach means less runoff of chemicals into our waterways. These are known as crop dusting drones.
3. Irrigation and water use monitoring
With the help of drones, farmers can easily collect aerial data to create detailed maps of their fields, including water distribution from irrigation and plant health (drone imaging). Drones equipped with multispectral and thermal sensors can detect variations in water content and temperature, providing farmers with valuable information about their crops’ water requirements.
This data allows farmers to adjust their irrigation systems and optimize water usage to prevent water pooling and reduce water waste.
The Pros of Drones for Society
4. Delivery of Emergency Supplies for Disaster Response
Drones have become an increasingly valuable tool in disaster relief efforts, especially when it comes to delivering essential supplies such as medical equipment, water, and food.
In the aftermath of natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and wildfires, traditional methods of delivering aid can be hindered by damaged infrastructure, impassable roads, and other logistical challenges.
Drones offer a quick and efficient alternative, able to reach remote or inaccessible areas and deliver supplies directly to those in need. This not only saves lives and provides critical support to affected communities, but it also minimizes the risks faced by relief workers who would otherwise need to navigate dangerous terrain or unstable buildings.
5. Search and Rescue
Drones such as the Mavic 3 Enterprise have proven to be incredibly valuable tools for search and rescue missions. The ability to cover large areas quickly and efficiently, even in remote or hazardous terrain, can make a critical difference in locating missing or stranded individuals.
Drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras or other specialized sensors can detect heat signatures or other signs of life that might not be visible from the ground, allowing rescue teams to hone in on areas of interest. In addition, drones can be used to survey disaster areas from above, providing real-time images and data that can help rescue teams plan their operations and make informed decisions.
Drones also offer the advantage of being relatively inexpensive and easy to deploy, making them a practical solution for search and rescue efforts in a wide range of situations. Ultimately, the use of drones in search and rescue operations can save lives, reduce risk for rescuers, and improve overall response times in emergency situations.
Improving Safety
6. Improved Safety of Military Personnel and War Correspondents
In military settings, drones can be used to perform reconnaissance and surveillance tasks without putting human soldiers in harm’s way, reducing the risk of injury or death.
Similarly, journalists and reporters can use drones to gather footage and report on dangerous or volatile situations without needing to physically enter those areas.
7. COVID Reporting and Monitoring
In the context of the COVID pandemic, drones are used to deliver medical supplies and other essential items without requiring human-to-human contact, reducing the risk of transmission. They are also used to monitor compliance with public health measures such as social distancing, mask-wearing, and quarantines, without needing to put individuals at risk.
8. Improved Safety for Work at Heights: Window Washing
Any job which involves working at heights is high risk, including the washing of high-rise building windows. If workers fall or safety gear fails, the outcomes can be fatal. By using drones for this task, the risks to human workers are greatly reduced, and the job can be done more quickly and efficiently.
Drones can be equipped with specialized cleaning equipment and controlled remotely, so workers do not need to be physically present on the building’s exterior. This eliminates the risk of falls or other accidents and allows for the job to be completed safely and effectively.
Additionally, drones can access hard-to-reach areas that are difficult or impossible for human workers to access, making them a valuable tool for maintaining the cleanliness and appearance of high-rise buildings. The use of drones for window cleaning offers an important safety benefit and is an example of how technology can be used to perform dangerous jobs in a safer and more efficient manner.
9. Improved Safety for Emergency Response Personnel
Drones have greatly improved safety for those involved in disaster response efforts. When natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, or wildfires occur, they can cause widespread damage and pose significant risks to human safety.
Drones can be used to quickly assess the damage and identify potential hazards, such as downed power lines, unstable structures, or contaminated areas. This information is then used to guide response efforts and ensure that rescue workers are not putting themselves in harm’s way.
The Pros of Drones for Business and Commercial use
10. Efficient Cargo Transportation with Heavy Lift Drones
Specially designed heavy lift drones can deliver goods quickly and directly to their destination, avoiding the delays and costs associated with traditional ground transportation or air freight.
Additionally, cargo drones can access remote or inaccessible areas, such as disaster zones, offshore oil rigs, or mountainous regions, where traditional transportation methods may be impractical or impossible. This makes them a valuable tool for emergency response efforts and for transporting critical supplies to areas that are difficult to reach.
Another benefit of heavy lift cargo drones is their cost-effectiveness. They can operate with significantly lower overhead costs than traditional cargo transportation methods, making them a more economical option for companies looking to move goods quickly and efficiently.
11. Drone Assisted Thermal and Night Vision
Thermal and night vision technologies allow drones to operate effectively in low-light or dark conditions, making them useful for a range of applications such as search and rescue operations, law enforcement, and military operations.
By using thermal imaging, surveillance drones can detect heat signatures and identify targets that might be invisible to the naked eye, such as people or animals in the dark. This makes them a valuable tool for detecting and tracking individuals who might be lost, injured, or otherwise in need of assistance.
In addition, thermal imaging can be used to detect potential safety hazards such as gas leaks or fires, allowing for a more effective and rapid response to these emergencies.
12. Drone Surveying
Survey drones can cover large areas quickly and provide high-resolution imagery and data, allowing for more comprehensive and accurate surveys. This can save significant time and resources compared to traditional ground-based surveying methods.
Some drones such as the DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise can be paired with an RTK module while others have this built-in i.e Matrice 300 RTK.
Drone Assisted Inspections
Drones are used for inspection for a wide range of industries such as solar power, building inspection, construction and mining. Drone inspection can be a costly experience if done wrong, be sure to check out the article on the Top 5 Costly Mistakes to Avoid for Drone Inspections.
13. Drones in Building and Construction Inspection
Using drones for construction inspections have significantly lower overhead costs than traditional inspection methods, making them a more economical option for construction companies and building owners looking to conduct inspections regularly.
Drones can quickly and easily inspect large areas, providing high-resolution imagery and data, allowing for more comprehensive and accurate inspections. This saves significant time and resources compared to traditional ground-based inspection methods.
Additionally, drones easily access hard-to-reach areas, such as rooftops and tall buildings, where traditional inspection methods are dangerous or difficult to conduct. This makes them a valuable tool for safety inspections and preventive maintenance.
14. Wind Turbine Inspection
Traditional inspection methods are dangerous and difficult to conduct for wind turbines so drones are a valuable tool for preventive maintenance and ensuring their safety and efficiency.
Conducting wind turbine inspections via drone can also save significant time and resources compared to traditional human-based inspection methods.
15. Drone Mapping
Using drones for areal mapping has several benefits over other methods such as manned aircraft and satellite imagery. Mapping drones capture clear footage even when cloudy, unlike satellites. They fly below cloud cover, taking high-resolution images which are stitched together in post-processing to create an orthomosaic.
16. 3D Modeling with Drone Footage
Drones are increasingly being used for 3D modeling (and drone photogrammetry) due to their ability to quickly and efficiently capture high-resolution imagery and data from the air.
By utilizing photogrammetry software, drone-collected data can be transformed into 3D models and maps with a high level of accuracy and detail. This makes drones a valuable tool for a variety of industries, including construction, engineering, and architecture, where 3D modeling is essential for planning and design.
The use of drones for 3D modeling offers significant benefits in terms of speed, efficiency, accuracy, and cost-effectiveness, making them a popular choice for businesses and organizations looking to improve their planning and design processes.
17. Benefits of Using Drones for Real Estate
Using drones for real estate can be particularly helpful for showcasing large properties, waterfront or beachfront properties, and rural properties with acreage.
Using drones in the real estate industry allows agents and sellers to showcase properties in a unique and engaging way. With high-quality cameras and advanced software, drones can capture stunning aerial footage and images of properties, providing potential buyers with a bird’s-eye view of the property and its surroundings.
Drones can also be used to capture 360-degree panoramic images of properties, allowing potential buyers to take virtual tours of the property from the comfort of their own homes.
The use of drones in real estate offers significant benefits in terms of marketing, as properties can be showcased in a visually compelling way, helping to attract more potential buyers.
This streamlines the buying and selling process for agents and sellers while providing a more engaging experience for potential buyers.
18. Drones for Security & Surveillance
With advanced camera technology and real-time transmission capabilities, surveillance drones can provide security personnel and home owners with real-time monitoring and situational awareness, helping to detect and respond to potential security threats more quickly and effectively.
Drones can also be used to routinely patrol and monitor large areas, such as borders, critical infrastructure, and industrial facilities, providing a more cost-effective and efficient alternative to traditional manned security patrols.
Additionally, drones equipped with thermal and night vision cameras, detect and track intruders or potential threats even in low-light or dark environments.
Improvements to the Farming Industry
Farming drones can carry out and automate a wide range of tasks depending on their design and core purpose. Some are capable of carrying tanks for liquid and pellets while others have specialised sensors for imaging.
19. More Uniform Crops and Less Waste with NDVI
Agricultural drones capable of capturing footage for NDVI drone imaging help assess plant health. NDVI stands for Normalized Difference Vegetation Index. It’s a remote sensing technique used in agriculture to monitor and assess plant health and productivity.
NDVI measures the difference in the reflection of near-infrared and visible light wavelengths from plants, allowing for the calculation of vegetation density and vigor. Healthy plants absorb more visible light and reflect more near-infrared light, resulting in a higher NDVI value.
By using NDVI data, farmers can identify areas of their fields that may be experiencing stress or disease, allowing them to take corrective action before yield losses occur. NDVI can also be used to assess the effectiveness of fertilizer applications, irrigation, and other management practices, helping to optimize crop yields and improve efficiency.
20. More Effective Seed Planting
With their ability to quickly and accurately cover large areas of land, drones can distribute seeds in a more precise and efficient manner than traditional methods. By using specialized equipment, drones (like the Agras T40) can dispense seeds at specific intervals and densities, ensuring even distribution across the entire field. This can help to optimize crop yields and reduce waste by minimizing the amount of seed used.
21. Locating Lost or Injured Live Stock
The use of drones for animal location and monitoring can help farmers improve the efficiency and productivity of their operations, while also promoting better animal welfare and reducing the need for labor-intensive manual monitoring.
By using thermal imaging cameras or other specialized sensors, drones can quickly and accurately identify the location of individual animals, even in areas that are difficult to access or observe by ground-based methods.
This technology can help farmers monitor the health and wellbeing of their animals, detect early signs of disease or injury, and track herd movements.
Pros of Drones in Everyday Life
22. Making Amazing Areal Photography Available to Everyone
Drones have revolutionized the field of photography by enabling everyday people to capture stunning aerial footage and images. With their compact size and maneuverability, drones can access areas that would be impossible or dangerous for photographers to reach, such as tall buildings, remote landscapes, and natural landmarks. Read more on my favourite drones for photography here.
By using high-quality cameras and image stabilization technology, drones can capture crystal-clear, cinematic footage that was once the exclusive domain of professional photographers and filmmakers. Now drone technology has become common place, drones for beginners can be bought at a wide range of prices starting at less than $50.
Drones offer a new perspective on familiar subjects, providing a unique and immersive view of the world that is both captivating and inspiring. The use of drones for photography offers numerous benefits, including the ability to capture breathtaking images, explore new creative possibilities, and tell compelling stories through visual media.
Whether it’s for personal enjoyment, social media, or professional purposes, the use of drones for photography has opened up exciting new opportunities for creative expression and visual storytelling.
23. Underwater Exploration & Photography
With their ability to dive to great depths and capture high-quality images and video, underwater drones provide an immersive and fascinating view of the underwater world. They can be used for a variety of purposes, such as scientific research, marine conservation, and underwater photography and videography.
Underwater drones can also be used for recreational purposes, such as exploring shipwrecks, coral reefs, and marine life. They help to expand our understanding of the ocean and its ecosystems, by providing researchers and scientists with valuable data on underwater environments and the creatures that inhabit them.
The use of underwater drones offers numerous benefits, including increased access to underwater environments, improved safety for divers, and the ability to conduct research and exploration in a cost-effective and efficient manner. The availability of underwater drones has opened up exciting new possibilities for everyday people to experience and engage with the wonders of the ocean.
The Wrap Up On the Benefits of Drones
Drones offer many benefits to society, industry, and the environment. They have revolutionized the way we approach various fields, such as search and rescue, construction, agriculture, photography, and environmental monitoring.
Drones have improved safety by reducing the need for human intervention in dangerous or hard-to-reach areas. They have also increased efficiency and productivity in various industries, providing faster and more accurate data and reducing labor costs.
In addition, drones have contributed to environmental conservation efforts by facilitating remote monitoring of wildlife, forests, and oceans, and helping to prevent and respond to natural disasters.
As technology continues to advance, we can expect drones to play an increasingly important role in many aspects of our lives, offering new opportunities for innovation, creativity, and social and environmental impact.
