Drones have been around for some time, but they were not used in various applications until recently. With the increasing popularity of drones, many companies are now deploying this tool to use at their facility and even in their backyards to create valuable aerial maps. Here is an overview of 8 major applications that make drones useful in industry.
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Crime Scene Mapping
Drones have been used in criminal investigations to help create a more detailed picture of a crime scene, rather than relying on more primitive tools like the naked eye. Drones can provide detailed mapping of the scene itself and get information about angles and factors which are difficult or impossible to see with the naked eye.
They may even be able to identify overlooked evidence, even if only slightly. Using drones at crime scenes is new, but they can prove helpful when finding out what exactly happened or why someone committed a crime versus relying on eyewitness accounts alone.
Wildlife Conservation and Safety
Wildlife management has been made much easier thanks to the development of drones. With wildlife, it is challenging to map out their activity and behavior. For instance, as seen at Dioram website, using drone mapping, wildlife officials can track endangered species or animals in need of intervention. It will also allow agencies to gather data about animal migration patterns for species like whales, which may help in preservation efforts.
Drones can also be used for other purposes, like relocating animals or spotting them for conservation efforts. These are only some of the ways a drone can be used to help with wildlife efforts. In particular, drone mapping devices can be used in dangerous animal preserves to scare off poachers or keep animals from alerting farmers to their location. They are also used to monitor animal populations and use them to set hunting quotas at sustainable rates.
Patrols for Public Safety
Drones can be beneficial for border patrol, police, and personal security. Using a drone to survey borders to look for illegal activity or possible threats, violators can be apprehended quickly.
That can be particularly useful in the war on terror as the Department of Defense has shown interest in using drones to surveil battlefields and search out terrorists, insurgents, other combatants, and more. Drones are also used for public safety, like monitoring public areas like prisons or sports stadiums.
Forestry Applications
In combination with aerial photography, drone mapping has created a new revolution in forestry. The advancements in geospatial intelligence and computing power allow forestry professionals to understand better the trees they are trying to protect. With drones, you now know how much forest land there is across countries or even within your property borders.
Aerial photography provides the best way to gather data but is often inaccurate due to the dense tree cover. With drone mapping and advanced computer software, forestry professionals can better view what is happening within specific locations.
Routing and Construction
With the growth in the construction market, there have also been many innovations to aid in the construction plans. Drones are becoming more efficient when it comes to routing projects. Although drones are not yet as precise as GPS, they allow for quicker construction planning and design.
Drones can map out a route for an area with its boundaries within an hour or less than you would expect for a more considerable surveying or mapping crew. Drones can even make new landing spots for the constructed roads, thus saving on costs and reducing disruptions during construction. Drones can also pick up their own pace during construction, identifying improper building plans and locations for roads and making corrections more quickly.
In addition, construction companies are increasingly using drones to identify weak areas in buildings or structures before they collapse. Their ability to measure the structural integrity of bridges had saved lives during treacherous weather conditions when driving was not possible or safe enough. That alone has made drone mapping invaluable in today’s construction industry.
Energy Pipeline Applications
Drones have foreseen many of the problems today’s energy projects face. Drones are equipped with radiation detectors that allow for more accurate mapping of routes with high radiation levels than humans could see in a shorter amount of time.
The accuracy of drone mapping has reduced the number of workers falling ill while constructing pipelines and reduced their injuries due to falling objects or projectiles previously unknown to construction workers. Finding and identifying gas leaks within the pipelines has decreased the time lost in work, which means more time is being spent on projects that can be completed within their deadlines. Drone mapping allows for safer energy projects and more accurate plans and buildings.
Agriculture
Drones are increasingly being used for agriculture purposes, and this is something that will only grow in the coming years. Farmers are no longer limited to spraying pesticides but can now gather data other than GPS coordinates, like wind speed, direction, and soil moisture, to determine if they’re maxing the potential of their crops. Water run-off and erosion can also be monitored, resulting in less damage to sensitive crops during rain.
Disaster Relief
Drones have proven useful in emergencies such as floods and wildfires to help map and monitor the destruction. Emergency responders can use this information very quickly because they don’t have to wait on helicopters which can take a while to arrive, they can get the needed data immediately via drone mapping. They can also use drones to rescue people and sometimes reach places that helicopters cannot with their payloads.
For instance, after a disaster like the 2004 tsunami devastated parts of Asia, UNICEF got into action and dropped off supplies to hard-to-reach areas. After testing out what worked, UNICEF officially adopted drone relief efforts in 2014 in the Philippines. Their small unmanned aircraft used GPS to navigate and drop relief supplies and have since delivered more than 100 tons of aid.
It’s easy to think that drones, especially quadcopter drones, are just for fun, like remote-controlled planes and helicopters. But, a few practical applications of drone mapping benefit businesses in specific industries. Drone mapping helps with planning construction and remodeling projects, analyzing new markets for potential, and identifying routes for energy pipelines with high radiation levels.
