INFRASTRUCTURE/UTILITIES
Drones are extremely useful and efficient for site monitoring and supervision, allowing for greater control of the project, a streamlining of site operations and to reduce response times quickly and safely, in addition to increasing efficiency and automation of operations. Surveillance and security technologies are traditionally used as a protection mechanism that maintains situational awareness and provides appropriate alerts.
ENERGY
Drone platforms provide safe, efficient inspections for applications across the energy industry, including traditional power generation and transmission & distribution, by drastically reducing inspection time, saving labor costs and reducing hazardous manhours. Solutions for cyber-threats and security are also available.
MINING
Surveying a mine or quarry with a drone, photogrammetry software can recreate geo-referenced 3D maps, contour lines, digital terrain models or digital surface models of the site. The precise volume of stockpiles or areas to be excavated, can be extracted. Advanced software can also generate industry-specific data such as safety berm heights; crests and toes; road boundaries; widths; crests; slope, length, and elevation change. AI in the software can automatically highlight those that do not comply with standards or constitutes a potential threat to the workers’ safety.
AGRICULTURE
Farms produce hundreds of thousands of data points on the ground daily. With the help of AI, IoT and Big Data, farmers can now analyze a variety of things in real time such as weather conditions, temperature, water usage or soil conditions collected from their farm to better inform their decisions. Drones are used for analysis applications or when there is a need to carry a load (i.e. planting or spraying applications).
REAL ESTATE
Current drone camera technology is capable of capturing still images, video, multiple overhead map images, and even 360 degree panoramas. Drones create more dramatic, compelling images, more interesting virtual tours, highlight more property features, generate new business and cut costs. In commercial real estate, this technology is used to plan and photograph high rises and other residential multi-unit projects, either to help them sell or for inspection and surveying.
CONSTRUCTION
Builders and project managers use drones to collect real-time data about projects and understand what’s happening on site. Aerial insights improve progress tracking and help catch problems early, before they become costly or add weeks to a project’s timeline. They also increase safety, save time and resources, fast-track surveying, and deliver accurate measurements, and drone software to collect, process, and analyze drone data, added value comes from incorporating maps and 3D models into existing planning, design, and management workflows.
INSPECTION
These days, drone inspections are being performed in almost every industry that requires visual inspections as part of its maintenance procedures. By using a drone to collect visual data on the condition of an asset, drone inspections help inspectors avoid having to place themselves in dangerous situations. Some use cases are: oil pipeline, gas pipeline, methane gas, solar panels, power line/cable, cooling tower, critical infrastructure, windmill/wind turbine, railway/train line, bridge, monument, radiation measurement and monitoring, roof, indoor.
INSURANCE
Insurance is among the industries already deploying and expanding the potential of commercial drones, eyeing two strategic objectives: better risk management through improved data collection, and reduced operational costs through improved efficiency and effectiveness related to claims. This technology is being deployed to inspect: roof damage, boiler, post disaster claims, other damages, and to monitor fraud. Drones are integrated with other technology such as AI to analyze the data, assess the damage, and calculate repair costs.
TRANSPORT
Delivery drones and passenger drones, or else known as ‘air taxis’, PAVs (Personal Air Vehicles) and VTOL (Vertical Take Off and Landing), are currently among the most intensely discussed emerging technologies, likely to expand mobility into the ‘third dimension’ of low-level airspace. They combine three key principles of technological modernity: data processing, autonomy and boundless mobility. This technology could provide a solution to the problem of congestion in urban areas, alleviating both traffic and pollution.
JOURNALISM
Drone technology allows journalists to take footage of news events such as volcanic eruptions, war-torn villages, and natural disasters. Because drones are operated remotely, journalists see it as safer and cost-efficient means of video recording, especially in highly vulnerable coverage. Being above the ground and unmanned, drones are a safer option when the target area is a difficult and/or dangerous terrain or during an emergency such as earthquake or fire. More specific to journalism, drones can capture and live stream video data to ground base stations. Use of infra-red cameras, sensors and LED lighting can allow audio and video recordings at night time, a major step up in information collection capabilities for journalists.
SURVEILLANCE
Drones are capable highly advanced surveillance, and drones already in use by law enforcement can carry various types of equipment including live-feed video cameras, infrared cameras, heat sensors, and radar. Some military versions can stay in air the hours for hours or days at a time, and their high-tech cameras can scan entire cities, or alternatively, zoom in and read a milk carton from 60,000 feet. It presents an easier, faster, and cheaper method of data collection, and a number of other key advantages.
